Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together
by Random007
Summary: The Avengers split up, two years after New York. Sixteen years go by and none of them have any contact, not even knowing that the others are alive. Can they get back together? Involves Avengers' kids. I can't do summaries.
1. Splitting up

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter One- Splitting up

TWO YEARS AFTER NEW YORK: AVENGERS TOWER

It was just a normal day in the tower, Clint and Natasha had gone off at ridiculous hours for a mission, Thor had destroyed a toaster, Steve was working out and Bruce and Tony were down in the lab creating something new. All of a sudden, a J.A.R.V.I.S announced that Fury was on the line. Tony answered it, but let everyone else hear. "Where are Barton and Romanoff?" The Director asked, "They were supposed to be here two hours ago!"

"We thought that they were with you," Tony replied, "We haven't seen them since 10 PM yesterday. But I can find out, Jarv where are Legolas and Natashalie?"

"Ms. Romanoff told me to never track her whereabouts again, they have left and told me to give you this message," J.A.R.V.I.S' voice suddenly morphed into Natasha's, "We are gone. Do not try to find us. We have left S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers. Stark you were right. We are married. And we want to bring up our kid with proper parents.' (Pepper gasped there) 'Nothing will ever bring us back. Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff."

"I knew it! I knew they were married!" Tony exclaimed.

"Natasha's pregnant?" Fury gasped, "That is not possible, the serum..."

"Natasha has serum like me?" Steve asked.

"I suppose that's it. Natasha and Clint will stick to their word, they're never coming back," Bruce sighed, "Its just us four now." Only the Thunder God remained silent. Fury had disappeared from the line, as did the Avengers after a while. The day after they had heard Steve was gone too. A week later Thor moved in with Jane in New Mexico. It was only Bruce, Pepper and Tony were left. Bruce left leaving them a note.

'I know you guys will kill me but I have to go and find Betty. I'll be in Mexico if you need me. Love you Pepper, Love ya science buddy but I feel like I need to move on. And also I think what Natasha and Clint said was true. Nothing will ever bring us back, but I think they also meant together, because we're not dead and I'm not planning to die any time soon. Bye guys.' A week later the living areas of the tower were completely deserted.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Clint, I'm pregnant." Natasha whispered.

"This is the time then, isn't it?" She nodded. The pair of Assassins had been talking about leaving S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers for around a month now this baby had just given them the push. They packed their stuff. They each had very few personal belongings and didn't need many clothes. The erased all footage of themselves from all the cameras around the Avengers Tower via J.A.R.V.I.S. for the last time. Clint helped Natasha think of a message to tell the others they had left. That night at 12 PM they crept out silently, because assassins could. They almost forgot to tell J.A.R.V.I.S. Almost, but not quite. They settled down in a small village in California, where no one knew who they were.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Clint and Natasha leaving was a wake up call to Steve he had also been thinking about it for a while, this just meant he could. He planned to go to England to seek out Peggy Carter III who was apparently working with S.H.I.E.L.D. there. if she didn't accept him then he would just have to move on, try to find someone different. He packed his few belongings in a bag wide enough for his shield. He deleted all the footage of himself too. He left at 11 PM and jumped on the first plane heading for London. One year later he was living with her in the outskirts of London.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Thor had never really lived in the Avengers Tower. He was always traveling between there Asgard and Jane's house. He contacted Jane asking to live with her. She obviously had said yes and that Darcy was very excited. Thor left at lunchtime. He said a proper goodbye, and. even though it was more than the others hand done he still felt ashamed of himself. He was turning his back on a problem, one of the things God's are not supposed to do. With a streak of lightning and a clap of thunder he was gone.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

It was hard for Bruce to leave Tony, they were science buddies, liked the same video games and, as long as Tony wasn't trying to provoke the other guy, they got on well. Still Banner knew it had to be done. He wanted a life that didn't involve the other guy. He wanted to find her. Betty. He knew she had probably moved on, found another guy, but he had to check that she was alright. And even if she didn't want him, he would stay in the shadows and protect her when needed. She probably thought he was dead, unless she had changed her ways and now watched the news. He left in the dead of night. He traveled to Mexico and found Betty. She still wanted him.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Tony couldn't live in the tower now it was almost empty. He and Pepper moved to a mansion on the outskirts of LA.

SIXTEEN YEARS LATER- S.H.I.E.L.D. HELICARRIER

Sixteen years had passed and not a single day went by without Nick Fury thinking about them. He had tracked their kids, and adopted his own. Stephanie Fury was currently reading those files her dad had made for the Avengers' kids.

Name: Lewis Bruce Banner  
Age: 15  
Date Of Birth: 19-06  
Family: Son of Bruce Banner and Elizabeth 'Betty' Banner. Twin of Lilly Banner.  
Skills/Knowledge: Lewis can 'hulk out' but only when he wants to. He doesn't need to be angry. Lewis takes interest in science.  
Status: Alive in Mexico.  
Other Information: Knows nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers. Knows about the Hulk.

Name: Lilly Elizabeth Banner  
Age: 15  
Date Of Birth: 19-06  
Family: Bruce Banner and Elizabeth 'Betty' Banner. Twin of Lewis Banner.  
Skills/Knowledge: Lilly can not 'hulk out' but has super human strength when she's angry. Her eyes also glow a bright green. Lilly is very interested in science, particularly chemistry, she is always trying out new formulas etc.  
Status: Alive in Mexico.  
Other Information: Knows nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers. Knows about the Hulk.

Name: Yekaterina 'Katya' Alianovna Barton  
Age: 12  
Date Of Birth: 17-03  
Family: Daughter of Clint Barton and Natasha Barton. Younger sister to Ethan Barton.  
Skills/Knowledge: 'Katya' is good with a bow. She can run and is excellent at gymnastics. Has been taught many languages by her mother.  
Status: Alive in California.  
Other Information: Knows nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers. Appeares to have retained her mother's ability for excellent interrogations.

Name: Ethan Barney Barton  
Age: 15  
Date Of Birth: 28-02  
Family: Daughter of Clint Barton and Natasha Barton. Older brother to Yekaterina 'Katya' Barton.  
Skills/Knowledge: Ethan can fire guns. Good at running and hand to hand combat. Has been taught many languages by his mother.  
Status: Alive in California.  
Other Information: Knows nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers. Has mother's sarcasm.

Name: Blaze Eric Odinson  
Age: 11  
Date Of Birth: 27-04  
Family: Son of Jane Odinson and Thor Odinson  
Skills/Knowledge: Blaze can call fire from his magical sword, which has the same abilities as his fathers hammer just fire instead of lightning. Takes a little interest in his mother's work in astrophysics.  
Status: Alive in New Mexico.  
Other Information: Knows nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers. Has never heard of Asgard but has been there once, as a baby.

Name: Alice Margret Rogers  
Age: 10  
Date Of Birth: 10-05  
Family: Daughter of Steve Rogers and Margaret 'Peggy' Carter III.  
Skills/Knowledge: Alice has retained some of the super solider serum enabling her to have super strength, super speed, super reflexes, etc.  
Status: Alive in London.  
Other Information: Knows nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers. Has her mother's kindness and caring.

Name: Ella Maria Stark  
Age: 15  
Date Of Birth: 30-04  
Family: Daughter of Virginia 'Pepper' Stark and Anthony 'Tony' Stark. Older sister to Joseph 'Joe' Stark.  
Skills/Knowledge: Good at maths and physics.  
Status: Alive in California.  
Other Information: Knows nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers. Has father's sarcasm, cocky attitude and likeliness to be late.

Name: Joseph 'Joe' Anthony Stark  
Age: 13  
Date Of Birth: 02-09  
Family: Daughter of Virginia 'Pepper' Stark and Anthony 'Tony' Stark. Younger brother to Ella Stark.  
Skills/Knowledge: Good at maths and engineering. Fast runner.  
Status: Alive in California.  
Other Information: Knows nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers. Has mother's modesty and likeliness to be early.

Stephanie smiled. These kids would never know or meet each other yet, they were so alike. None of them knew a single thing about the Avengers, yet they were all much more closely connected to the group of heroes than most people. Their parents had been great friends but now, that friendship was nothing. If the world needed a group of heroes once again, who would they choose? The Avengers or the Revengers, as her father had named them. They were the next generation.


	2. Leaving and Arriving

**A/N These are the kids and their ages which you meet in this chapter.**  
**Tony and Pepper: Ella (15) Joe (13)**  
**Clint and Natasha: Ethan (15) Katya (12)**

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Two- Leaving and Arriving

BARTON HOUSEHOLD

"Clint, CLINT GET UP NOW!" Natasha Barton shouted. "Clint get some arrows and the kids. They've come for us." Her voice and eyes were full of worry for her husband and her two kids, Ethan and Yekaterina but she liked Katya for short. Clint jumped out of bed and put on his suit. His bow and arrow already in hand. Natasha had made her way downstairs and in three minutes taken out at least half of the ten men. Clint first rushed to Ethan's bedroom and shook him awake he told him to get dressed double quick time and then did the same to Katya. He quickly tossed some of his and Natasha's clothes into a bag, with a few personal items like family photos. He then went to the safe and got out all their legal document a and money. This was the reason why they didn't have a bank account. He went and did the same with Ethan and Katya.

"All out?" He asked Natasha who noded. "Come on guys, gotta run." Katya climbed onto Natasha's back so she could still use her bow and arrows. Ethan was capable with a gun, and didn't get tired in the same way Natasha didn't. Katya didn't either but she had not gained the capability to run and shoot at the same time. She had gained her father's hitting the target every time abilities and could already shoot backwards, and got the target unless she was running. Clint gave the keys back to the landlord while Natasha strapped every holster that had a gun in it to her and Ethan's body. That ran undercover of the trees, hoping that none of them would get sun burnt. It was the summer holidays and was sweltering hot. After a few hours of running non stop Ethan really did need a break. They family happened to be in a small town at that point.

"Come on guys I'll get us all sandwiches." Natasha said.

"Cheese for me!" Katya said.

"Tuna and sweet corn, thanks." Clint told her.

"Marmite, please." Ethan said.

"You have disgusting tastes." She told the boys, "Come on Katya let's get them." Natasha and Katya made their way into the shop.

As soon as they were gone from eyesight, the boys were attacked from behind. Clint took them down with two arrows, six punches and a knee in the groin. Ethan just stood on the side watching. "Where do you learn this stuff?" He asked.

"Probably tell you soon, you're fifteen now. Don't want to give you nightmares though."

"Is it really that bad?" He asked in shock.

"Still gives me and your mum nightmares, and some of this stuff happened about eighteen years ago. It might be kind of a have to be there moment though."

"Oh, Ok." Then Natasha and Katya came back with the sandwiches.

"We're just on the very very edge of LA- Clint. What did you do to your face?"

"Tasha, I'm fine just some people attacked us."

"What!? we have to go now." She then whispered in Clint's ear, "I suggest we go to the center of LA to throw them off. We go west and find a place to settle down." He nodded, "Come on guys we're getting a taxi." They all change clothes but keep guns and compact bows and arrows on them. They flagged down a taxi driver and hopped in. In the center of LA, they got out and started walking west.

About an hour before the sun set, they found a beautiful town. The little family walked over to the estate agents, which was still open. The first house shown to them was perfect. The paid the first months rent and were given their keys. As it was getting quite late, they all went to bed and slept well. The next day after Katya had gone to bed, Ethan begged his parents for their histories. They didn't tell him. Neither of them could, not just yet.

ONE MONTH LATER- STARK HOUSEHOLD

"Ella, get up now." Pepper's voice rang out through the four story mansion. She didn't want either them to be late on their first day of school this year. Joe, undoubtedly would be early, Ella undoubtedly would be late, she had inherited their father's genes for that. "ELLA MARIA STARK GET UP NOW!" Pepper screeched, walking into her daughter's bedroom.

"Ok mum, I'm up." She said.

"Good because you have 15 minutes until the bus comes." Joe was already sitting at the kitchen table, fully dressed, eating pop tarts. Pepper came downstairs muttering about Ella. She made sure Joe was ready and sent him to the bus stop three minutes early.

Three minutes later, Ella ran downstairs, grabbed a pop tart just as it was coming out of the toaster, kissed her mother bye and ran outside, just in time. Though Ella was now in high school and Joe was still middle school, their schools were right next to each other so they got the same bus as there was only a few buses that went out as far as their house and this was the only one that didn't get them there ridiculously early. Once on the bus stopped in a place Ella was sure it had not last year. She stopped gazing out of the window and at the door. A really hot new boy got on. He was tall, lean and muscular, and looked like a kind and forgiving person. Ella had broken up with her boyfriend a week before school ended but to be honest, she didn't care. He was an idiot anyway. There were four seats left on the bus. One at the front, one the back. One next to Joe one next to Ella. The girl who got on behind him, Ella had to assumed she was his sister even though they looked nothing alike, sat down at the front, texting. The boy say next to Ella saying "Hey, who are you?"

"I'm Ella." Ella breathed.

"I'm Ethan." He said sticking out his hand, which Ella shook.

"Is that your sister?" Ella asked waving her hand towards the front.

"Yeah, that's Katya." He replied.

"Katya, that's a cool name."

"I suppose but her real name is Yekaterina, it's Russian. I'm half Russian but my mum has been here for years."

"Ok, I'm just American. My brother Joe is somewhere as well."

"Oh cool." The bus pulled up. "Can you show me where the office I have to go there to get my homeroom room." Ethan asked

"Of course," Ella replied as they exited the bus. "Its right this way." She waited for him to come out and it turned out that they shared a homeroom so they walked to it together.

Katya meanwhile had a very different experience. "Hello dear," The woman in the office at her elementary school said, "You're new are you not? What's your name dearie?"

"Ka- I mean Yekaterina Barton, yes I'm new." She was shown her homeroom.

The homeroom teacher then called the register. "Dianna Allen?"

"Here miss."

"Yekaa- How do you say it?"

"Yekaterina but everyone calls me Katya."

"Ok Katya Barton."

"Here miss." The rest of the register continued and Katya listened out for anyone she may know. When the teacher called on Joe Stark she remembered one of her parents hushed conversations about a Stark, but he was called Tony she was sure. She knew no one else and went off to her first lesson, French, with some girl who is determined to be her friend. She was fluent in French before she was five years old so spent most of the lesson drawing.

Ethan felt the whispers hit him the second his name was called, which was first. He damned his father for being called Barton. He heard Ella's name called and was sure he'd heard Stark somewhere before. He didn't let it get to him and looked down at his timetable, Spanish first. He'd been fluent in Spanish since he was six. It was gonna be an easy class. He caught up with Ella and found that she had Spanish too. They walked to class together and took seats next to each other.


	3. Pen Pals

**A/N These are the kids and their ages which you meet in this chapter.**  
**Bruce and Bettty: Lilly (15) Lewis (15)**  
**Also some of the the ones from the last chapter will be there too.**  
**Dialogue in italics is Spanish.**

Nothing will ever bring us back together.

Chapter Three- Pen Pals

BANNER HOUSEHOLD

"Lilly and Lewis get up now!" Betty Banner shouted at her kids in English, the language they used at home. She was not going to let them be late on their first day back to school. The twins rubbed their sleepy eyes and slowly got dressed. They ate their muesli and unusually didn't complain about it. Betty supposed it was because they were not fully awake yet. Bruce had already left for the lab so he could be home in time to pick the twins up from school. The Banners lived in the middle of nowhere so Bruce could go in to the forest when he was stressed, which wasn't very often anymore. This meant that Lilly and Lewis counted on their parents picking them up and dropping them off. "We're leaving in five minutes." Betty shouted from the other room. "And you two better be ready."

Five minutes later Lewis was scrambling around trying to find his soccer ball while the girls were waiting in the car. When Lewis finally found it Betty told him to get in and they a drove off before he had even got his seatbelt on.

At school Lilly and Lewis generally ignored each other. Today though, they had a new homeroom teacher. She put them in register order so Lewis had to sit next to Lilly. They then had the same person for English. They had to sit next to each other again. This was in some ways good, as the only two fluent English speakers, they would be top in all pair assignments. However, it could lead to many sibling arguments.

_"Right class," _She said_, "Today you are going to pick your Pen Pals for the rest of the year. You will be emailing them weekly, at least. They come from a school in Los Angeles."_ She then came round with a box full of slips of paper. Lily picked 'Ella Stark'. Lewis picked 'Ethan Barton'.

"Lils," Lewis said, in a low whisper, "Please tell me I'm not going mad. Please tell me Stark and Barton sound familiar."

"They do," Lilly replied, "But Lew, I can't quite put my finger on it."

'To Ella,  
My name is Lilly and I don't see the point in this because I speak fluent English. Sorry if that sounded arrogant, I'll help you learn Spanish. My favorite color is green, I don't know why though. I like to dance with my friends. I have a twin brother called Lewis, he can be really annoying but he is sometimes fun too. I don't have a boyfriend, mainly because all the boys in here are actually so stupid. Do you? I think I'm gonna leave this here because I think I'm babbling. Bye, Lilly Banner.'

Lilly was not pleased with her email but it was not really like she was ever going to get to know here. Lewis on the other hand thought his was ok.

'To Ethan,  
Hi, my name is Lewis, I'm fifteen years old. How old are you? I have a twin sister called Lilly, do you have any siblings? Do you find them as annoying as I do? I have to sit next to her writing this so I'm going to stop there. I already speak, read and write English fluently so I guess this will just be helping you unless you speak Spanish. I'm sorry that I'm so boring by the way. Your surname reminds me of something but I have no idea what. I'm gonna go now before I bore you to death. Bye Lewis Banner.'

SCHOOL IN LA

"Right class." The Spannish teacher called. They had been at school one week though, all the class had taken Spanish last year. "You will each go onto your school emails where you should each find an email from your Pen Pal. If you don't see me. You will the write a reply. Go." Ethan took out the slip which he had been given that morning which had his school email on it. He logged on read it and within five minutes had tapped out the reply

_'Hi Lewis,  
__Thanks for your email, I don't find you boring. I'm going to answer your questions in order. I'm fifteen as well! I have a younger sister called Yekaterina but everyone calls her Katya, her name is Russian, I'm half Russian. She's twelve. Yes I find her annoying but she is sometimes fun too. I speak read and write English, Spannish, Russian, German and French. I don't find you boring but you probably find me boring. I don't know what you think my name is, my parents aren't famous but Banner reminds me of something too. Bye, Ethan Barton.'_

"How did you do that?" Ella hissed to Ethan.

"I'm fluent, do you want me to do yours too?"

"Ok." Ethan wrote and Ella hissed what to write but in English. "To Lilly, It was kind of arrogant but I don't care. I don't speak Spanish, but I'm getting a friend to write this for me. My favorite color is gold, no idea why either. I have a younger brother called Joe, he's twelve. He's always annoying. I don't have a boyfriend either."

At this point Ethan hissed at Ella "What am I then?"

"Err my friend?"

"If you say so... Ella do you want to be my girlfriend?"

"Yes."

"I'll scratch that last then."

"I have a boyfriend who is your brothers Pen Pal. I don't think I'm babbling but I'm going to leave it there. Bye, Ella Stark." After a few minor edits the whole message read,

_'To Lilly,  
__It was kind of arrogant but I don't care. I don't speak Spanish, but I'm getting my friend to write this for me, he's fluent. My favorite color is red, no idea why either. I have a younger brother called Joe, he's thirteen He's always annoying. My boyfriend is your brothers Pen Pal. I don't think I'm babbling but I'm going to leave it there. Bye, Ella Stark.'_

They all emailed each other more and more and became much more at ease with each other. They had never met but they felt like old friends.

**A/N Sorry for not updating yesterday, I was really ill and slept all day. Just to say, Alice and Blaze don't get much of the story, Blaze more than Alice. Please review, leave constructive criticism, ideas, anything you want. Reviews make me write faster so I can crank out chapters for you.**


	4. Holiday?

**A/N These are the kids and their ages which you meet in this chapter. These are the last of them. I also don't mean to offend any Londoners. I live in London and this is my personal view. Half of the time, I hate living here, the other half, I love London.**  
**Thor and Jane: Blaze (11)**  
**Steve and Peggy III: Alice (10)**

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Four- Holiday?

FLORIDA AIRPORT

"Steve? What's the matter? Earth to Steve." Peggy Rogers asked.

"Dad come on! We're on holiday!" Alice asked. It was Alice's first time abroad and she was very excited to say the least.

"Peggy, look behind me." Steve said.

"Steve, is that Thor?"

"I think so.. Oh Peggy. No this can not be happening."

"Steve, lets jus- He's coming over."

"Captain Steve is that you?" Thor asked.

"Thor?" Steve asked knowing full well the answer. No one else ever called him Captain Steve. It was always Captain America or Steve. Unless it was Stark. Thor pulled Steve into a bone-crunching hug until Steve gasped "Thor - can't - breathe." and Thor let go.

"Steve this is Jane and I's son Blaze, what are your wife and daughter called?"

"Oh, Thor This is Peggy and Alice-"

"Next please." the assistant called next and Steve, Peggy and Alice had to move. They waited for them on the other side though, Peggy had insisted.

"Thor, Jane we are going to Animal Kingdom tomorrow," Steve said, "If you want to we can meet up. And catch up on these what? Sixteen or so years."

"What is this mysterious kingdom of animals? Jane speaks of it as well."

"Ok we will come," Jane said ignoring Thor, "See you at the entrance at 9:30?"

"Yep see you there." Peggy replies. Both families went off to reclaim their baggage and picked up their rental cars.

DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM

It was complete coincidence but Jane and Peggy managed to park next to each other. Steve preferred not to drive, though he had taken his test and passed with high marks. Jane didn't trust Thor to drive after he pulled the steering wheel off the learning instructor's car. "Hi guys." Jane said.

"Hi Jane, Thor, Blaze." Peggy replied, getting out while Alice and Steve were still in the car. Once they had gotten out, the six of them made their way to the entrance and went in. They went to Everest first, then the safari. They did a few more rides and then Peggy and Jane decided that it was time for lunch. While their parents talked, Alice and Blaze managed a conversation.

"So, Alice, how old are you?" Blaze asked awkwardly.

"Ten, you?" She replied, equally as awkward.

"'leven. I love your accent, you live in London right?"

"Yeah. London's not all it's cracked up to be. The London eye is ok. You can see all the landmarks from it and yeah, it would be a great place to come on holiday too but if you just live there, the streets are too crowded, there are too many smokers, too much pollution and its freakin' freezing most of the time. It was quite hot this summer though."

"Oh. I thought that was only in the center, don't you live right on the edge?"

"Yeah but I go in to the center a lot. Anyway, how do our parents now each other?"

"No idea."

"Blaze, Alice time to go!" Jane called. They got up from the picnic bench and hurried to catch up with their parents. They saw the Nemo and Lion King shows, then the adults decided it was time to go back.

UNIVERSAL ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE

Steve, Peggy and Alice had arrived at Islands of Adventure really early to get in the Harry Potter rides before they got too busy. They moved on to Jurassic park, Alice screamed_ a lot_ on the river adventure, she thought they really had taken a wrong turn and the drop scared her. They got wet on the water rides and finally came to the Marvel section of the park. It was around about lunchtime and the first diner they came across was, of course, Captain America's.

"Dad, can we eat there, please?" Alice asked. Some of her friends were obsessed with Captain America, she wanted to tell them that she had been there. Steve smiled and obliged. They then went on the Hulk, all the Bruce memories brought back to the surface. He almost had to hold back tears when he remembered 'Hulk Smash.' He wouldn't admit it, but he missed the Avengers. Going on the Hulk just after lunch was probably not the brightest idea ever. Steve's strong super-solder stomach did not feel the slightest bit sick but Alice looked faintly queasy and Peggy threw up in the bathrooms. Steve took them back to the place where they were staying, promising Alice that they could come back another day.

DISNEY'S MAGIC KINGDOM

"Jane, what is this kingdom of magic?" Jane was driving their rental car to Disney's Magic Kingdom. Thor had asked the question so many times, she personally thought it was a bit ridiculous.

"Thor. It is not a kingdom or a realm. It is a theme park. You can go on rides, watch shows etcetera. No magic. _Especially not that magic._" Jane hissed the last bit. Blaze sat in the back wondering what they were talking about. He didn't know why his father talked in strange ways, seemed to think magic was real and randomly disappeared for 'business trips' once in every while. He didn't know who his dad's family was, he knew his mother was an only child, her parents had died a few years ago. "We're here anyway." The little family got out of the car and walked to the monorail station. They arrived and even though it was 9 AM, there were still a few fireworks going off. It is Disney.

NO PLACE EXCEPT YOUR HEAD

The six of them met up four times overall. Blaze and Alice got to know each other, as did Peggy and Jane. Steve and Thor reconnected and reminisced. Especially about not being able to use kitchen appliances. Within a week of being back together, both Thor and Steve were missing being part of the Avengers more than they had in sixteen years. Blaze and Alice emailed a few times once they were back home, but slowly they all began to forget.


	5. PE

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Five- PE

SCHOOL IN LA- GYM/ ATHLETICS TRACK

Katya and Joe had PE next, it was one of their favourite lessons. Both of them had already excelled in the self defence unit, being taught by their parents, and couldn't wait to find out what they were doing next. "So guys," Coach Phillips adressed them "This next month we're going to be doing... Athletics." Athletics was ok, they'd both been taught to run fast throw heavy things and, in Katya's case, jump high. "Today we are doing sprints." These were both of their personal favourites, the two children had no idea how alike they were. They started with the boy's 100. Joe won. Then the girls, Katya won. Boys 200, Joe won. Girls 200, Katya won. The boys relay. Joe got put in a team of the worst people, comes from last to first. Same with Katya. The mixed relay however was something different. "I'm going to put the best runners on one team," Coach said "The rest of you can choose. Joe, Katya, Zoe and Sam come here." He lowered his voice and said, "I'm supposed to be finding the best track team in your grade and I think this might be the mixed relay team. Zoe, be one and Sam be three. you two need to do a quick 100 to see who's who."

Joe and Katya lined up and the whistle blew. Katya ran the quickest 100 of her life to beat Joe by almost a second. "Joe second, Katya fourth." Coach told them. They practiced change overs as a class and then it was for real. Zoe got a good start and a good change over to Joe who ran fast but fumbled a little giving it to Sam who cleanly gave it to Katya who ran like hell was on fire behind her. She crossed the line before most of a the other teams have got the baton to the fourth person. "Katya, you're doing 100 and 200 as well. You any good at hurdles, jumping or middle distance?"

"Don't know Sir, I'll try." Katya replied knowing full well that if she wasn't trying to shoot at the same time, could win 800 by miles.

"There's athletics club on after school today. Do you want to call your parents to ask them if you can come?"

"Sure." Coach Phillips then repeated the same conversation with Joe. Joe called Pepper, knowing she would let him come, Katya called Clint, knowing he'll be easier to break down. Both of them informed Phillips that they will be coming and go off to get changed. Joe couldn't stop thinking about Katya all day after that. He had just turned thirteen and had got his first crush on a girl he didn't really know.

Later, at athletics club Joe and Katya were learning how to go over hurdles. Katya just could not do it. Zoe then came over and did it perfectly. Phillips gave her the hurdles to do and they then moved on to the long jump. Katya got over 4 meters every time and was chosen for that. Joe, on the other hand, did not get a single legal jump. It was always over the board. Coach had already got someone doing it for the boys though, so it was ok. They moved back to track. 800 meters. Katya finished around 5 seconds after Joe, who did not want to be beaten by a girl. Phillips said Katya's was still good and that they were both doing 800 meters. They didn't bother with any of the throwing events, Phillips had already got people doing them. They moved on to high jump which, having trained to jump on to high things by her mother, Katya excelled at. Joe, however, was not too good. He couldn't get the hang of the flop. Coach gave that one to another boy. The quadruplet then lined up for 100m. A hush fell over the track. The people in Joe and Katya's PE class had told their friends, who had told their friends, who had told their friends.. how good Katya and Joe were. The whistle blew and they were both off like shots. Sam and Zoe lagged behind, but they were going at a fast pace for their age. Katya beat Joe again but by a quarter of a meter this time. A huge cheer erupted as they crossed the line. Katya smiled. It was something she rarely did. Coach told them to go and get changed and he would see them next week. In the changing rooms Zoe asked Katya,

"How are you so fast? You're amazing! Do you train?" Katya replied,

"No, Thanks and I don't know." Both girls laughed. It sparked a firm friendship, Katya's first ever one. They all trained together week after week. After about a three weeks, Zoe, and Katya started to sit with Joe and Sam at lunch. Sam had been taken under Joe's wing. Zoe probably get away with her old 'cooler' friends but she chose Katya with her heart. The foursome became best friends and that just helped the relay. On Katya's fourth week of training she and Zoe were chatting in the changing rooms when Katya got a text from her father.

'Hi my little athlete, How was training? Do you want me to pick you up? When and where? Have you seen Ethan? He isn't home yet. Bye, Dad.' Katya then rang Ethan.

"What do you want, Kat?"

"Where are you?"

"About to walk out of school."

"Do you want Dad to pick you up? He's getting me."

"No, I'm fine."

'What?' Katya thought 'Ethan Barton, the laziest boy on earth who complains about the busses everyday, is opting to get the bus? Somethings up.'

"Sure, I'll tell him you're not coming." They said bye and Katya quickly texted her Dad.

When Katya and Clint passed the bus stop, they saw Ethan and Ella there. Talking. Clint pulled over and yelled at Ethan to get in. He did and when they had got ten meters away Clint asked, "Who was that girl?"

"She said her name was Ella. We met at the bus stop." Clint was focused on the road also could not tell if he was lying. Katya could though.

"You're lying," Katya said, showing her mother's interrogation skills, "One you're voice says it two, I've seen you on the bus with her."

"Her name's Ella Stark. She's my girlfriend."

"WHAT!?" Clint shouted nearly crashing the car. They pulled up at their house and exited it. "You and I are going to have a chat young man."

"About what?" Natasha said opening the door, and seeing the look on Clint's face said , "Katya, go to your room."

"But-" Katya protested.

"GO KATYA." Katya went. "Clint what is this all about?" Natasha asked.

"He told me he had a girlfriend." Clint said pointing at Ethan.

"And..." Natasha inquired.

"And her name was Ella Stark." Clint braced himself. Ethan was about to feel the wrath of the Black Widow.


	6. Arguments

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Six- Arguments

BARTON HOUSEHOLD

"ETHAN BARNEY BARTON" Natasha Barton screamed at her petrified son. If there was one rule in the house, it would be to not make Natasha angry. This time Clint was angry too. Ethan knew he was in for one hell of a punishment.

"Yes, mum?" Ethan replied, trying to keep his cool.

"What did you just say this 'girlfriend' of yours name was?" Natasha asked, trying not to lose control, because if she lost it who knew what would happen?

"Ella Stark." Ethan replied and braced his mind for a loud impact. This time though, it came from his father. And it wasn't so loud.

"Ethan are you sure?"

"Yes," He replied. It was just a name. What was all this fuss about? "What's the matter? Who do you know called Stark? Is this some stupid thing you won't tell me about to do with your past that you won't tell me because it will give me nightmares?" He said it scornfully, like he didn't believe them.

"Yes, Ethan, I'm afraid it is. Now will you please go to your room, your mother and I need to talk." Ethan huffed.

"No! Not until I know about all of this." Natasha pulled three guns and two knives from various places on her body. She did not point them at him but he was scared.

"Tasha-" Clint began.

"A good interrogator will never give their secrets. A good Agent will always have a weapon." Natasha proclaimed. Ethan backed up the stairs as Natasha put her guns and knives back. Unknown to all three of them Katya had been watching the whole encounter, from the stairs, the whole time. She was almost as good as Natasha at reading between the lines. She followed Ethan up to his room and shut the door behind her.

"Get out Katya." Ethan instructed.

"No, I came to help you." She replied. "They were both agents for something. They know someone called Stark and he or she was related to the agency they worked for. They don't want anything to do with him or her." Ethan sat there for a moment, taking in what Katya said to him.

"Katya, go back on those stairs while they are talking. I'm googling Stark." Katya made her way about half way down the stairs and listened in.

"Clint, we have to leave, what if she knows? What if she tells him? What if he goes to Stark's place and he tells him? Clint, what can we do?" Natasha asked.

"What if it's a different guy? What if she doesn't know? Tony would have to tell her to tell him and I'm sure none of us have told any of the kids. I just don't want to mess up their lives again, we'll have to tell them one day anyway."

"If he can't pluck up the courage to get her round in one month we will leave. It would show their bond is not too strong."

"Ok, case closed." Katya turned to scamper back upstairs when the stair she was on creaked.

"Katya, come here!" Natasha yelled, "I can see you on the stairs!" Katya damned her parents amazing listening abilities and made her way to the living room.

"Katya, honey, how much did you hear?" Clint asked going for the nice guy effect.

"Nothing!" Katya replied innocently, a little too innocently.

"Be truthful Katya. I can read between the lines too." Natasha said to her, assuming a the nice guy wasn't going to work.

"Ok, I heard all of it. Don't kill me, please"

"We won't, just promise not to type anyone's name in to Google because we will find out."

"Ok," Katya chirped, "ETHAN STOP OR MUM WILL KILL YOU." Ethan walked down the stairs, sulking.

"Well you've had your chat, will you tell me now?"

"No, Ethan we have to keep you safe. However, you have three months to convince your lovely girlfriend to come to our house."

"What? No! You will scare her! No no no no no no no NO!"

"Yes yes yes. We can even get Katya to go to her friend's house so we can have a nice long chat you without any interruptions, if you want."

"That would be great except Katya doesn't have any friends, do you Kat?" Friends had been a sensitive topic since Ethan had found out that she had no friends at kindergarten. Ethan had always had the tan muscular look, girls always flirting with him. Katya, on the other hand, stared at people and her ability to read between the lines often freaked people out. Whenever Ethan had said 'Katya has no friends,' in the past she would always bust out crying and run away. Today though, she managed to scream at him first

"ACTUALLY, I DO NOW SO SHUT UP!" As she then ran away sobbing, Ethan muttered,

"And I suppose Mr. Imaginary who you sit next to on the bus counts." Katya didn't hear him.

"Now look what you've done." Natasha muttered back as Clint ran up the stairs after Katya. He knew where she'd be. The roof. Like him, she was quite fond of heights. "Back to you though, Ethan, If you don't bring her to see us before one month is up, I can guarantee you'll never see her again."

"But mum-"

"No buts, Ethan. Case closed." Ethan Barton walked away knowing he'd been defeated, once again, by his mother.

ON THE ROOF

"Katya, don't worry. He didn't mean it." Clint tried to console his daughter.

"Dad he did mean it, and you know it. When have I ever had a friend before?"

"Err…. Well you do now."

"Yes I sort of have three. Zoe, Joe and Sam. Ethan can never know their names; he'll use them against me." Katya then burst in to tears again.

"It's ok, sweetie." Clint said, giving her a hug. "Mummy and daddy are here for you."

"I-I know." Katya sobbed, "But what if I'm not a good friend? What if they start to hate me? What if-"

"Kat, there's a first tine for everything. My first friend was…" Clint paused as he struggled to remember who his first friend was. He couldn't count his brother. At school he was the strange guy who got beaten up by his father. At the circus he only had trainers. At S.H.I.E.L.D. he spent most of his time with Natasha and most agents were completely scared to come near her. It made getting through the hallways easier. Phil had been a good friend, but Clint felt like he was his dad. He realized his first friend; aside from Natasha was either Stark, Steve, Bruce or Thor. Possibly Pepper. Probably Steve though. And he had left them. "Katya, I had friendship problems too. Your mum was my first friend, aside from my brother, and he's dead. I had a few other friends as well though, after."

"Who were the rest of them?" Katya asked. She was curios as neither Natasha nor Clint ever talked about their past.

"I can't tell you but I've had seven friends in my life, I think," he counted on his hands Pepper, Tony, Steve, Thor, Bruce and Phil. Natasha. "That's including your mum and not my brother. How sad am I? I've had seven friends, one of which I married, one of which is dead five of whom I left sixteen years ago. I actually have no friends."

"Dad I'll be your friend." Katya had cheered up a bit. Clint smiled. "But tell me. Was Tony Stark one of your friends?"

"No." Clint lied, and Katya knew it.


	7. Permission Slips

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Seven- Permission Slips

STARK HOUSEHOLD

"MUM!?" Ella Stark shouted as she ran up the stairs, the stairs only she used. Everyone else used the lift.

"IN HERE!" Pepper Stark shouted back but Ella knew where she was, the office. She would always be in there.

"Mum can I go, please?!" Ella said as she appeared in the doorway. She crossed the room and handed Pepper something. It was a permission slip to visit her pen pal in Mexico. Pepper read the letter which said,

"To Mr and Mrs Stark.

Your child, Ella Stark, has been invited to spend a week with her pen pal, Lilly Banner, and her family as part of the pen pals programme currently running in school. Your child will be spending three nights in Mexico from the 1st to 4th of October. Please return the slip below by TOMORROW if you would like your child to take part. Sorry for the short notice regarding this trip.

Yours sincerely,

Señora Ramones.'

"Why do you want to go El?" Pepper asked, "You don't even speak Spanish."

"I know but her whole family speak fluent English." Pepper read the letter again. This time two words stuck. They were 'Mexico' and 'Banner'.

"Ellayouaregoingwetheryoulikeitornot." Pepper said signing the letter. She had wanted to bring the Avengers back since day one when Natasha and Clint left. Except none of them were traceable and there was no way of contacting any of them. And she had become pregnant before she could convince Tony to go to Mexico. She remembered reading Bruce's note 'I'll be in Mexico if you need me.' Ella was going.

"Ok mum, I will." Ella replied, kind of freaked out.

"Tell me if her dads name is Bruce or her mum's is Betty."

"'Kay."

"How are you writing these letters? Don't your teachers have to read them?"

"Yeah they do. My boyfriend translates them for me."

"BOYFRIEND?!"

"Yeah mum, I do have a life,"

"Since when?"

"Week after we went back to school, I think."

"Name?"

"Ethan…"

"Surname?"

"Barton." Pepper smiled.

"Don't tell your father about that last name. Or that you have a boyfriend. Or your pen pals last name, come to think of it. I want to meet him. Week after you get back would be good." Pepper checked her calender.

"Ok, I'll tell him. Don't freak him out though"

"Text Joe, will you?"

"Why?"

"He's nervous."

"'Bout what?"

"Track meeting."

"How come I didn't know?"

"You did."

"Oh, I'll text him." She skipped off texting her brother.

BARTON HOUSEHOLD

"Mum? Dad? Are you home?" Ethan asked as he walked through the front door.

"Yep. Come on, let's go." Natasha replied, grabbing her coat.

"Where are we going?" Ethan asked.

"To watch Katya." Natasha said.

"In what?"

"Athletics."

"WHAT? NO WAY. I am not coming to watch my stupid, friendless, pathetic excuse for a sister in an athletics meeting." Natasha raised an eyebrow and looked at Clint who shouted,

"ETHAN! DON'T SAY YOUR SISTER IS FRIENDLESS," Natasha backed out of the door, "OR STUPID," They heard the car door slam, "OR PA- she's gone. I know I shouldn't thank you for this but thanks I really did not want to go to that. I had to go to my brothers once. They are so boring. No offense to Katya though."

"It's ok dad but you are protecting me when she gets back, mum will have told her."

"I will but do never call her friendless again, she does actually have friends."

"Yeah, I know. They wait for her to go into school together. And she sits next to some boy on the bus."

"Oh, Ok. That's good, for her."

"Yeah dad will you sign this permission slip?"

"Ok, where's the letter?" Ethan slid the letter to him and Clint read,

'To Mr and Mrs Barton,

Your child, Ethan Barton, has been invited to spend a week with his pen pal, Lewis Banner, and his family as part of the pen pals programme currently running in school. Your child will be spending three nights in Mexico from the 1st to 4th of October. Please return the slip below by TOMORROW if you would like your child to take part. Sorry for the short notice regarding this trip.

Yours sincerely,

Señora Ramones.'

Unlike Pepper, Clint only really took in the 'Week with pen pals in Mexico'. He didn't know that Bruce went to Mexico, or that he could even have kids. As he signed it he said,

"Yeah you can go but the week after you get back she's coming round and you are never calling Katya friendless again. Understood?"

"Yeah."

"Anyway, This boy Katya sits next to on the bus, he is just a friend who happens to be a boy, right?"

"Yeah, I think. They only talk on the bus and I don't have the pleasure of seeing then in school. What's the worst they could be doing? She's what 11? 12?"

"Ethan, do you not know your sisters age? It's 12 and I suppose. Wait- if your suggesting that, what are you 15 year olds doing?"

"Nothing you need to know about."

"Ok." They stared at each other in silence for a minute until Ethan's eye caught on a slight bulge in Clint's top pocket.

"What's that?" He asked pointing. Clint pulled out a very collapsed bow. You couldn't tell it was one though.

"In your mother's words... A good Agent will always have a weapon." He expanded the bow, too quickly for Ethan to see the trick, and pulled a few arrows out of his trouser pocket that Ethan didn't know was there. They weren't Natasha's words. They were Phil Coulson's. Phil was dead and S.H.I.E.L.D. was as good as to Natasha and Clint.

"Dad... Will you teach me archery?" Ethan asked.

"Sure, kid. Let's go in to the woods." Clint grabbed another bow and some more arrows and they left. Clint smiled. He was finally teaching his son archery. He'd wanted to do that since Natasha had given birth. Ethan had never asked before and Clint had never pushed it. Katya asked, Clint obliged.

"So, Ethan this is how you hold a b-" He looked over at Ethan who had his bow nooked and held correctly. "Never mind that. You have to pull the string back a right up to your cheek." Ethan did, "And let go." As he did this he looked over at his father, and though he was looking away he still hit it right in the bull's eye. "Must be your Hawkeye bones." Clint muttered. He'd been a quite lax these last few days, half forgetting that they were on the look out for signs, half wanting them to figure it out. He didn't want them to know but felt like they should. He knew he could never convince Natasha though.

"You don't think I never watched you teach Ka- Wait what about Hawkeye?"

"Nothing," Clint quickly replied, not wanting to die today. "Absolutely nothing, Ethan, Do you want to try blind folded?" Clint spent the next few hours trying his hardest to keep Ethan from wondering about Hawkeye. No matter how good Natasha was at hacking and finding out, they couldn't brainwash them to make them forget. As they walked back to the house, Clint said,

"Ethan, stay behind me." Ethan started to walk behind him but asked

"Why?"

"The cars out front and I don't want you dead. I'm sure your mum's already taken her weapons though. Just in case."

"Ok." Clint opened the door and braced for a verbal 'Where were you, I was worried about you.' Attack from Natasha and a physical 'How dare you call me friendless?' Attack from Katya.


	8. Athletics

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Eight- Athletics

ATHLETICS TRACK

Just under five weeks had passed since Katya, Joe, Zoe and Sam had begun training together. They were all great friends but nothing more and since Zoe and Sam got a different bus, Joe always saved a seat for Katya. Today was Thursday, it was the day of the first athletics meeting. All four had properly psyched themselves up for it. The mixed relay would be last, girls hurdles were first. Joe's dad had come to watch, both of Zoe's and Sam's parents and Katya's mum.

"Oh God help me." Natasha whispered as Tony plonked himself on a chair three seats down from her, with no one in between. He, however, did not give a second glance as the girls hurdles started and Zoe came a close second. Joe won his hurdles. The 100s were next and even though Katya knew she could win, she doubted herself. She could see her mother was in the crowd, along with Zoe, Sam and Joe's parents that she felt she needed to impress. Once the gun went off, there was no doubt she would win. She was 10m ahead of her awestruck competition. Katya heard her mum cheering and smiled. She had been bothered to come.

"One down, four to go, I think." She muttered and this was not counting field events. The athletes were separated from their parents so Katya stood at the side of the finish line to cheer Joe on. Joe's thoughts were similar to Katya's. He wanted to impress his father, show him there was something he was good at. He was tired of being out done by Ella. The gun went off and he was also 10m ahead of his star struck competition. They both also won their 200s by a wide margin. Natasha realized that it was Stark's kid winning all the boys races. She wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't been sitting three seats down from her but come to think of it, Natasha could see the Pepperony in him. Katya then went off to do her high jump. Joe and Zoe stood off to the side while Sam did hammer throw, something you did not want to get near. Sam, who was more of a runner, came fourth out of nine and Katya came second to the second best in California. The 800s were next. Joe and Katya were both tired but, since there were not too many competitors both boys and girls went at the same time, so after the duo had pulled away from the pack, they took turns to lead and keep each other going. With 100m to go, they looked at one another any sprinted to the line. Katya won but only because she dipped before the line. Joe, Sam and Zoe all had a bit of a break while the 1500s were on but Katya had to do long jump, it was nearing the end, though, so she was able to do her three jumps one after the other. Then she was able to to relax with the other three. They all went over to their kit bags and pulled out out their phones.

Joe texted Tony, 'Hey Dad! Am I doing ok?'

While Katya texted Natasha, 'Hi mum am I racing ok? I thought Dad and Ethan were coming?' Natasha and Tony's phones pinged at the same time. Natasha noticed that Tony had not changed his text tone in all of these years. Natasha's quick reflexes enabled her to reply first,

'Hi Katya, you're amazing. They were coming but Dad had to talk to him about stuff.' and Katya quickly replied, 'What stuff?'

'Tell you after.' Natasha texted back as Katya and Zoe were called for the girls relay.

In this time Tony texted back, 'Joe you're great son, focus now though.' Joe didn't reply. Instead, he focused on shouting at Katya and Zoe to win the relay. Which they did. Joe and Sam won there's as well with Zoe and Katya shouting very loudly at them. It was time for the mixed one. All the other teams had marked Zoe, Sam, Joe and Katya as competition. As she lined up at the 100m to go mark Katya noticed she was the only girl going last. It went just as planned. Zoe shot away and clean my got the baton to Joe who also went like a shot and cleanly gave it to Sam (they had been working on that). Sam was a little slower but it didn't matter, Katya was like an arrow from an bow, but faster. They won, before most of their startled competition had even got the baton to the fourth person.

After that the hugged, said bye, and went off to find their parents Katya followed Joe, talking to him the whole way. When they reached Tony, Joe quickly said to him "Dad, this is Katya, she's my friend."

"That's great, kid," He replied and then looked up, "Nata-Clin..." Katya looked kind of worried and made her way over to her mum.

"Dad!" Joe hissed. "She's going to think that we're a weird family now."

"We-we are." Tony hissed back, still startled. Natasha's head shot up as she heard Katya approaching.

"Well done, Kat." Natasha said getting up. She then realized the only way out was passed Tony and Joe. Natasha decided go risk it, she would just talk to him if he talked to her.

"Romanoff? Widow? Natasha?" Tony asked, surprised at himself for not asking before.

"Yes Stark. It is I, in the flesh. How come you are here? Others leave you as well?"

"Yeah, they all had their reasons. Where's the archer?"

"Katya's here but Clint's at home. She's almost as good as him these days."

"I meant Legolas."

"And I meant goodbye. Come on Katya." Natasha strided past Stark and Katya followed giving Joe an, 'I don't know,' look. Joe returned it. Both children were obviously confused.

"I thought she was going to name her kid Katniss." Tony said.

"Dad, how do you know Katya's mum?" Joe demanded.

"Katya? Definitely should have been Katniss. Quite similar, though."

"Its a nickname, her real ones Yek- something. It's Russian."

"Definitely her kid then."

"Your avoiding the question, how do you know her mum?"

"I just do Joe." He couldn't tell his son about the Avengers and it was obvious that Natasha hadn't told her daughter, either.

"What did you call her?"

"Not- I called her Romanoff and then Natasha, she used to work for Stark industries actually. Let's go home." There was some truth in that actually, she did used to work for him, undercover for S.H.I.E.L.D; and then he had fired her and not been allowed to. Tony had mainly blocked that from his mind, it was a confusing time and he had been dying. Joe left the topic, promising himself to get more from Katya the next day.

Katya got into Natasha's car and said,"Mum, how do you know Joe's dad? And why did he call dad Legolas? And why are Ethan and Dad at home? They said that they would come and watch me."

"Um, Dad was shouting at Ethan when I left."

"Why?"

"Because..."

"It's about me. What did he say?"

"He didn't mean it..."

"What did he SAY?!"

"Ok, I quote, 'I'm not coming to watch my stupid, friendless, pathetic excuse for a sister in athletics.''

"I'm going to kill him."

"I know, honey."

"What about my other questions? How do you know him?"

"I used to work for him."

"Why did he call dad Legolas?"

"Err... when I worked there I said my boyfriend was a good archer and then he called him Legolas." This would have been a good enough reason for Ethan but Katya knew it not to be true from the pause before it.

"Why did he call you widow?"

"Um that was what he called me because there was someone else called Romanoff and they were there first." That was not true either. As they pulled up at their house Natasha said,

"Katya give me all your weapons." Katya gave them over one by one asking,

"Why?"

"Just you know a precaution... Ethan's in there." Katya pulled out her last knife and ran to the house. She then remembered that she didn't have a key. She handed Natasha the knife and gained access to the house. It was empty.

An hour later Clint walked through the front door, "Tasha?" Clint asked.

"CLINT BARTON WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" I was so worried."

"It's ok Tasha, I was just out in the woods teaching Ethan." He walked over and then continued, "Tash, I promise next time-"

"OW KATYA STOP OW! MUM DAD HELP ME!" Ethan screamed as he found himself under Katya, who was beating him to pulp. Natasha couldn't take her fists.

"Katya, STOP!" Clint shouted and both he and Natasha went to pull her off.

"He promised not to call you friendless again, Katya." Clint said as he sat her down across from him at the table.

"What did you do for him?" Natasha asked.

"Dad signed my permission slip!" Ethan said excitedly.

"For what?" Natasha growled.

"For him to go to Mexico." Clint sighed and Natasha stalked off, shaking her head.

STARK HOUSEHOLD

"Pepper, we're home!" Tony Stark shouted, as he and Joe walked through the door.

"Hey Dad, How'd it go little bro?" Ella asked skipping into the room. Pepper followed, walking.

"Mum, why is she skipping? And why'd she text me good luck? What did you do to make her so... _happy_?"

"Err... just signed something-" Pepper began

"Mum signed my slip to go to Mexico!" Ella exclaimed

"Mexico? Why? When?" Tony asked.

"To see her pen pal... it's a school thing." Pepper confirmed.

"Yep sure, El, I've never seen you so happy about education."

"Thanks Dad. How'd it go Joe?" Ella asked.

"Good, won everything." Joe said.

"What about that 800?" Tony asked.

"Doesn't count she was in different race." Joe said.

"You were beaten by a girl?" Ella scoffed.

"Well technically but she's older!" Joe prayed that was true. They had never discussed birthdays but he knew Katya's was in March. It wasn't true.

"Sure sure."

"Come on guys, let's do something interesting." The family went off and played frisbee in the massive garden.


	9. Mexico

**A/N I apologize for my (Or Google translates) Spanish in advance. I know it's short. I'm sorry. But I'm actually updating this on the first of October so I'm happy.**

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Nine- Mexico

SCHOOL IN MEXICO

"BYE!" The twins shouted as they got out of the car.

"Goodbye. Remember to speak Spanish to the exchange students."

"Yes, mother." Lewis replied, shutting the door. Lilly was already gone. It was finally the first of October, the day Ethan and Ella were going to arrive. They weren't due to arrive until one but it did mean that the class would get the afternoon off lessons. The day flew by and soon it was one. They were meeting in the hall where they would get to know their pen pals in person until the Mexican student's parents came to pick them up or the day ended and they were able to get the bus.

"Bien, todos, están aquí!" _Right, everyone, they're here! _Miss Allen, the English teacher called. She individually called out everyone's names and paired them up.

"Hey!" Lilly said, "So, ¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo fue tu viaje? Nunca he conocido antes y estoy hablando a ti como te conozco siempre."_ So, how are you? How was your journey? I've never met you before and I'm talking to you like I've known you forever_. She thought she was just messing with them, and was about to explain herself when Ethan replied,

"Muy bien, gracias. No estaba mal pero no hago aviones normalmente. Lo sé, es muy raro ¿no?" _Really good, thanks. It was ok but I don't do planes normally. I know it's really weird isn't it?_ Lilly looked completely stunned. It was obvious that she didn't know that Ethan spoke Spanish.

"I thought I was just messing with you..." Lilly trailed off, still stunned.

"Yeah, Lils, I forgot to tell you. Ethan speaks Spanish."

"That would explain it. Have you called dad?"

"Yeah said he was halfway here. Knew we were getting off early today."

"Make that full way here." Lilly groaned as a great looming figure came up to the doorway. Lewis' phone pinged telling him get in the car. They signed out and made their way to the car park. Bruce was leaning against the car.

Once they got to him he said, "Hey Lils, Lew, Pepper and-"

"Dad it's Ella not Pepper." Lilly said, wondering why he called her that.

"Sorry, sorry. I knew someone called Pepper for a few years. Looked just like you. Haven't seen her in about sixteen years."

"Was she your-" Lilly began to ask.

"NO! She was my best friend's girlfriend."

"Sure..." Lewis teased.

"Was your best friend called Tony?" Ella asked, thinking about what her mum had said to her.

"Err... Yes... How did you know?"

"I think you knew my parents."

"Stark?"

"Yes."

"Ok I did. Anyway... You're Ethan right?"

"Yeah."

"Ethan Barton?"

"Yeah..."

"Natasha and Clint?"

"Yeah..."

"Knew them too." Ella, Lilly and Lewis had no idea what they were talking about.

"Err, Dad? Can we go?"

"Sure." They got in the car and Bruce drove off. "Betty will insist on talking to you in Spanish," he said, "but to be honest, I don't care. Ethan can already speak Spanish and the world speaks Stark."

"What?" Ella inquired.

"What your dad used to say. Anyway, I'll try to convince her. It's meant to be fun this trip, with maybe a little education." Then they arrived at the Banner's house.

"So, guys, this is home, I guess." Lilly announced.

"It's amazing!" Ella breathed, stepping inside. Lilly smiled.

"Let's go up to my room." The girls went leaving the boys with Bruce.

"So, Ethan, how are Clint and Natasha these days?"

"Alright, I suppose. How do you even know them?"

"They haven't told you, have they? I think it's best it stays that way. No, Lewis, you don't and can't know either."

"Da-ad. You never tell me anything!"

"They said that they would tell me soon but it still gave them nightmares and they didn't want to scare me."

"That's a good reason. If they haven't gotten rid of the nightmares by now, I doubt that they ever will go- don't tell either of them I said that. In fact, it would probably be best not to mention that we spoke about them at all."

"Ok."

"Come on." Lewis led Ethan to his typical boys' bedroom.

TWO DAYS LATER SCHOOL IN MEXICO

"We'll miss you guys, so don't forget to keep writing. Not just to Lilly and Lewis but to us as well." Betty told Ethan.

"Will do Mrs B." He replied. He awkwardly hugged her goodbye, and went to join Lewis, Lilly and Ella at the front of the car. Ella had already said bye. They both had said goodbye to Bruce the night before, he had told Ella to say that he said hi to Pepper but it was probably not wise to mention him to Natasha, Clint or Tony. Once they were inside the foyer, they realized that it really was goodbye, until two weeks time when Lilly and Lewis would be visiting. Somehow, the four of them ended up in a big group hug. All around they saw people saying genuine 'goodbyes' and 'I'll miss yous'. Once goodbyes were done and dusted, Ella and Ethan had to board a coach to take them to the airport.

"I'll genuinely miss them. Next time it won't be the same, in just twos. It's weird how we met them on Friday and now we're talking like we've known each other in forever."

"That's practically what Lilly said on Friday. I'll miss them too. But hey, two weeks isn't that long and we can still meet up and stuff."

"Yeah, cool," She mused before falling asleep on the coach.


	10. Meeting Pepperony

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Ten- Meeting the parents part one

STARK HOUSEHOLD

"Are you sure you want to do this, Ethan?" Ella Stark asked. It was finally the date they had set for meeting Pepper and Tony. The two of them had decided to do Ella's parents first because they didn't freak out every time they heard Ethan's name.

"Come on Ells, I'll never be ready but you might want to start preparing yourself to meet mine. However bad this is, tomorrow will be ten times worse. Your mum doesn't carry a gun everywhere she goes, your dad doesn't need to have a bow to hand at all times. They even sleep with weapons under their pillows for God's sake."

"Ethan, it will be fine. Ok, here we are, home sweet home."

"Seriously? Your house is massive." He was really impressed but Ella was just embarrassed.

"Yeah, and I hate it."

"My house must be so small compared to yours."

"It's probably nicer, your part of town is so pretty. And your house is probably much more homey. Mine is just empty rooms we don't need. Where are my keys?" Ella shook her bag out. "I give up. J? Can you open the door?"

"Certainty, Miss Stark and accomplice." The door opened but there was no one standing behind it.

"Who's J?"

"A robot. He's sort of like a butler but he is a robot. Real name is J.A.R.V.I.S. Listen, Hey J what's the time and where are my parents?"

"The current time in Los Angeles is approximately four oh seven pm. Mr Stark is currently in his lab and Mrs Stark is currently in her office."

"Thanks J. Are you ready to meet my parents, Ethan?"

"It's now or never."

"Do you mind the stairs? I hate the lift. It's four flights though."

"What ever makes you happy." Ethan smiled. The pair walked up the stairs together to Pepper's office.

"Mum? I'm home."

"Hi El. How are y- you brought your boyfriend round!" Pepper studied Ethan. She saw Clint's hair, Natasha's eyes but mainly Clint in all the dominant features. If she didn't know his surname, she wouldn't have made the connection.

"Yep. You didn't believe that I would, did you?" Ella's voice started to rise.

"Well, it wasn't liked that..."

"Yes it was, exactly like that. Come on, Ethan." Ella stormed out. Ethan shrugged and followed her. She led him up to her room.

"That's my mum. Never believes me, always working. She will get J.A.R.V.I.S. to tell my dad and he will be up in a sec. He's always in his lab working on something new. His lab is more of a workshop though." Ella said as Ethan sat down next to her on the bed.

"You have a lovely room." Ella smiled.

"El, are you in there?" Tony Stark asked and as Ella gave an 'I told you so' look to Ethan she replied.

"Possibly. Did mum send you up?"

"Possibly. Well that and the vials which must not be spilt were shaking with the running of the stairs." Ella laughed. "Come on El, let me in."

"No."

"Jarv? Open Ella's door for me please." The door opened.

"Oh, yeah. Hi Ethan. Why does your mother want me to talk to you El?"

"Hello, Mr Stark."

"Tony is fine. El?"

"Nothing, dad. She jut annoys me sometimes."

"She annoys me, too. What did you do?"

"Go ask Jarv or bother Joe."

"I'll do that later. I have to do the boyfriend quiz first."

"Oh God no. Good luck Ethan." Ella buried her face in to the nearest pillow.

"So, where did you meet?"

"On the school bus."

"When did you ask her out?"

"Spannish lesson. I was writing Ella's pen pal letter thing for her."

"Sorry, she is not good at Spannish."

"Good at science though, I probably have the best lab partner."

"I'm rather good at science too. Anyway, I'll ask you some more questions later. Gotta talk to Peps."

He left the room and Ethan said, "Who is Peps?"

"My mum."

"What is her real name?"

"Viginia but most people call her Pepper. I am sorry about that, by the way, that is my father. A person who is very childlike and overuses sarcasm."

"It's fine." There is a knock at the door.

"Ella? Can I come in, please?"

"What have you done, Joseph?"

"Dad might have caught me in his lab."

"Oh, God, you are done for. Come in." Joe walked in to the room.

"Hey, Katya's brother."

"Just go hide in the wardrobe or something." Joe went. "That is my annoying little bro who is slightly strange-"

"HEY!"

"You didn't have to listen. And that concludes my slightly dysfunctional family." Ethan ssmiled as Tony shouted up the stairs.

"HAS ANHONE SEEN JOSEPH HE HAS BEEN IN MY LAB, AGAIN!"

"YEP, HE'S IN MY WARDROBE." Ella shouted back.

"Ella!" Joe hissed as the door opened.

"Come on, Joe," Tony said, smiling through his anger, "I have something to show you." Once they had left the room, Ella looked over at Ethan who was smiling.

"Kat does the same thing to me," He said, "But I can't do it to her. She would kill me," He lifted up his top a little to show a line of fading bruises. "That's from when I called her friendless, the day we got them slips. Yeah, my sister is deranged as well." The two of them carried on talking, not knowing that Tony and Joe were listening just outside. Writing notes to show Pepper. And to use against Ella.

"Mrs Stark requests that you come to dinner, Miss Stark and Accomplice."

"His name is Ethan, J."

"Miss Stark and Mr Barton." They went downstairs and ate, not really talking but occasionally asking Ethan a question. When Ethan went home, he felt happy and hoped Ella would be ok with his parents too.


	11. The Cafe

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Eleven- The Cafe

CAFE IN LA

Jane and Blaze were in Los Angeles, where Darcy was living at the moment. Permanently. Thor had been called to Asgard by his father, and suggested that Jane and Blaze visit Darcy as they hadn't seen her in a while and he could tell Jane was missing her. Most Gods do have a sixth sense. Thor had dropped them at the airport and left for Asgard. Darcy, Jane, Blaze and Finn (Darcy's son), were sitting in a café chatting. Darcy and Jane couldn't believe that they hadn't seen each other in over as year.

"So, yeah, Jane, how's New Mexico? How's Thor? How's Selvig been since I came back here? Sometimes I miss home so much." Darcy said.

"Oh, Eric's doing great, New Mexico's ok, same as always I suppose. Thor, he's Thor. I love him and he is crazy." Jane replied. The woman at the table next to them suddenly looked up from her BlackBerry and stared at Jane. She had strawberry blonde hair and reminded Jane of someone, who she didn't know though.

"Excuse me but are you Jane Foster?" She asked.

"Err, formerly now Odinson." Jane replied.

"Oh my God." The strawberry blonde said. Jane stared at her and looked like she thought she was crazy, which she probably did. "Oh, I'm Pepper."

"Like Pepper Stark, Tony Stark, Pepper?" Darcy asked. She had made the connection immediately.

"Yes." Pepper replied.

"I want to get the Avengers back together." Jane stated. She thought that it had been good for him.

"As do I." Pepper said.

"I do too!" Darcy said, "Do you have any idea where the others are, Bruce, Clint, Natasha, Steve?"

"I think my daughter's pen pal is Bruce's daughter, her name is Lilly Banner and Ella said her mum was called Betty and father Bruce." Pepper said.

"I have Steve's phone number." Jane said.

"Tony said he saw Natasha a few weeks ago, she confirmed that a girl called Katya was her daughter and she is in my son's class and still is." Pepper said.

"That's everyone... If Natasha is with Clint." Darcy said. She was right. Maybe, as a group the three women could bring the Avengers back together.

"Are you free anytime next week?" Pepper asked. She knew that Lilly was coming to stay next week, could they get Bruce to come to?

"Yeah, all week probably but Thor is coming back on Saturday and we were only going to stay one more night with Darcy-" Jane said.

"Your welcome to stay at our house." Pepper offered.

"Cool, that ok Darce?" Jane asked.

"Yep as long as I get some credit for bringing them back." Darcy said.

"Darcy, you can stay too." Pepper offered.

"M'okay, I live round here, but I want to come to the party, if there is one." Darcy said.

"Yeah sure, I'm sure your little one will want a friend. What are your names?" Pepper asked Blaze and Finn, ashamed of ignoring them so far.

"I'm Blaze and-" Blaze said.

"I'm Finn-" Finn said.

"I was going to say that, Finn." Blaze said.

"Well I said it first!" Finn said.

"Argh, you are so annoying!" Blaze said.

"I know I am but catch me if you can!" Finn said as he ran off, Blaze went to chase him.

"In case you didn't catch that, mine's called Finn and Jane's is Blaze."

"Nice names. My oldest is called Ella, youngest Joe. Do you know the names of any of the others' kids?"

"Steve's got a little girl called Alice. I haven't seen any of the others since the split."

"If it is Bruce's daughter she is called Lilly and she has a twin brother whose name I don't know. I think Clint and Natasha's daughter is called Katya, but that's a nickname and I believe her real one is something Russian, and I think they have son is called Ethan, I'm not sure though."

"Okay, so what day next week?" Jane asked.

"I'm not sure, what's your phone number and I'll text you." Pepper replied. They exchanged numbers and Pepper left. She was happy that she was one step closer to bringing the Avengers back together. Jane and Darcy found their sons and went back to Darcy's house. Jane was happy that Blaze hadn't been listening in to that Avengers malarkey, she was not planning to tell him any time soon, and by the sounds of it, neither were any of the others. As long as Blaze was not going to get pulled in to any missions, she was ok. Thor couldn't die, but they didn't want to test Blaze. Maybe Blaze could make some new friends with the other Avengers' kids. Alice was great, her and Blaze had emailed a few times, the other kids should be ok too.


	12. Meeting Clintasha

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Twelve- Meeting Clintasha

BARTON HOUSEHOLD

"Ells, I'm sorry. Anything that happens when we are inside my house doesn't matter, I have the strangest family ever."

"It's ok. I have a strange family too." Ethan smiled at her and unlocked the door. Strangely, the house was empty.

"DAD! MUM!" Ethan called out but there was nobody there.

"What are those?" Ella asked, pointing to the guns on the table.

"Glock-" Ella arched an eyebrow, "Guns. What day is it today?"

"Err... Thursday, I think?"

"They won't be home until about five then. Kat's got athletics. Do you want something to eat?"

"No, I'm fine thanks."

"Let's go up to my room then." So they did. Ethan climbed up the creaky stairs first, followed by Ella.

"Wow." Was all Ella could say as she walked in to the room. It was not what she expected. As they had just left with only a few things from their small village, Ethan's bedroom was very like a guest room. the walls were a creamy colour, sheets pale blue. It was quite bland, he only had a few things out; a photo of himself and Katya, a piece of homework, some books laid out across the floor. Ella decided that Ethan was a very tidy person, unlike herself who would just have a path of carpet to get to her bed and wardrobe.

"I know it's not a very wow type room," Ethan stated, "I spend most of my time at school, in the woods or with Kat. I don't spend much time here, awake."

"It's cool, I like it." Ethan smiled. He sat down on the bed and Ella sat on the desk chair. They talked, mainly about their families and hobbies until Clint and Natasha came home.

"ETHAN! ARE YOU HOME YET?" Clint shouted into the seemingly empty house.

"YEAH!" He shouted back and grabbed Ella by the hand. "Come on, it's time for you to meet my parents." They walked down the stairs and Katya turned around.

"Hey Ethan. Why are you here?" She asked Ella.

"Mum, dad you said I had to bring her round so here's Ella." Ethan said.

"Definitely Pepperony." Natasha whispered to Clint.

"Definitely." Clint whispered back. Ella, Ethan and Katya all looked very confused.

"Don't worry, sweetie, do you want anything to eat?" Natasha asked as Ella's stomach growled.

"Err.. Yes please."

"I know Ethan has told you that we're scary, we carry guns, we sleep with weapons under our pillows..." Ella waited for her to say that it wasn't true, Ethan was pulling her leg. "It's all true... I'm completely paranoid that someone will attack me... I have lived through things not in your wildest dreams, nightmares, you can call the slightest bit humane... But I have not shot anyone... in almost seventeen years. I won't hurt you. Neither will Clint. Do you want a cookie?" She seemed so cool about it and even out of the corner her eye She saw even Ethan looking shocked.

"Err, yes, um, please."

"Tash, you scared her. I promise they're not poised." Clint joked. He held out the jar and Ella took one. She bit in to it, chewed and swallowed then said,

"Did you make these? They're amazing!"

"I'd like to take credit but Tasha made them, they taught her how to bake at her err, um-"

"Finishing School in Russia." Natasha came back downstairs, completely changed. Ella finished her cookie and Natasha said,

"You can go back upstairs if you want, we only wanted to meet you."

Ethan took the opportunity to say, "Sure, come on Ells." They walked back upstairs and Ella asked,

"Did you know?"

"No they wouldn't tell me. She told you way more than she's ever told me." Ella nodded. "What time do you have to go?" Ella knew Ethan wasn't trying to be rude, just wanted to ask a few questions to his parents.

Her eyes sparkled as she said, "I can call my dad to pick me up now if you want."

Ethan paused for a moment before saying, "I didn't mean- You are a genius." She called Tony and asked him to pick her up. The next five minutes were agonizing.

"Do you think it will work?" Ella asked after two.

"What will work?" Katya had appeared in the doorway

"Kat, you know dad said something about a Stark?"

"Yeah."

"If Ella's dad-"

"I get it. I'll be door lookout reading." This made perfect sense to Ethan, not so to Ella.

As Katya left the room she asked, "What?"

"Katya... Reads between the lines incredibly well. She can tell a bunch of stuff from just one sentence. All of it, so far, has been true. Be careful what you say around her."

"Oh, Ok."

"Agent Barton #4, Are you there? Over." Katya's voice seemed to be coming from Ethan's watch. He pressed a button which Ella thought would start the stopwatch but he said in to it,

"I'm #3 remember? You're #4. Over." Ella smiled as Ethan let go of the button a said, "She likes to play spies, not my fault." Before Ella could reply Katya's voice came back.

"Red Ferrari pulling up. Over."

"It's mine." Ella gulped, glancing out of the window.

"Target acquired. Over." Ethan let Katya know.

"Target getting out of car. Target knocking on door. Agent Barton #2 opening door-"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" Natasha screamed. Ethan and Ella could hear it coming up the stairs and through Ethan's watch.

"NAT! Calm down-" Clint began walking around the corner. So far, he couldn't see who was at the door.

"NO CLINT BARTON I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!" She shouted. Ella and Ethan got to the top of the stairs just in time to see Natasha punch Tony in the face.

"God, Natasha, you know I can't fight." He cried clutching his cheek. "Hello to you, too."

"Stark do not make me angry because you know I can get a lot worse than this."

"You can get worse?" Natasha drew a gun from each of her legs, a knife from each arm and pointed them at him. "Ok, I suppose you can." She chucked he guns at Clint who almost didn't catch them and put the knives back in the pockets on her arm. She then attacked him with her body. One knee to the groin and punch to the stomach later, Tony was sprawled on the floor and Clint was holding Natasha back.

"Couldn't have done that any earlier, could you Barton?" He asked, standing up.

"Nope," Clint replied popping the 'p', "But go away Stark, go away and NEVER, EVER come back."

"Gladly," He gulped, "Come on Ells, we're going." Ella hopped down the stairs, said thanks and jumped in the red car with Tony.

"Agent Barton #4 what was that? Over." Ethan asked, completely lost.

"I don't know..." Katya replied. It was the only time Her reading had ever failed her.

"KAT!" Ethan hissed before taking his watch off. He stormed downstairs. "What was THAT for?" He shrieked at Natasha, "She's going to hate me now."

"I'm sorry. Stark needs to know never to come back here."

"I'm not even going to ask why." He stormed back to his room.

"It's kind of true. She's going to hate us now." Katya replied before running upstairs to her room, almost in tears. If Ella hated them would Joe hate her? Would he stop her from hanging out with Zoe and Sam?

STARK'S RED FERARRI

'I know she didn't mean it,' Ella texted Ethan, 'And I still love you.' She locked her phone and looked at her dad.

"Why did she attack you?"

"You wouldn't know but Natasha and Clint said they were never coming back, the rest of us together." He replied simply.


	13. Are we really getting back together?

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Four- Are we really getting back together?

ROGERS HOUSEHOLD

"Steve? It's Jane." Jane called Steve, she remembered him talking about wanting to get the Avengers back together when they had met in Florida.

"Hi Jane! How are you? And Thor and Blaze of course." He replied, wondering why she was calling. It wasn't going to be for nothing.

"They're ok. Thor's in Asgard." Jane's voice dropped as she said 'Asgard' "Steve, we need you to come to California."

"Why? You live in New Mexico." This made Steve confused. He also wondered about the we.

"Blaze and I are here visiting Darcy. We went to a café and we were chatting then this woman comes over and says she's Pepper. Pepper Stark. You said you wanted the Avengers back together. Pepper said her kids are in the same school as Natasha and Clint's. Her oldest one is Bruce's daughter's pen pal. Pepper said that if the girl gets ill while visiting their house next week, Bruce has to come, so she can pretend to be ill. We can convince Natasha and Clint to come so please come. Pepper says You can stay at their house and Peggy and Alice can come too. Please come." She begged, not wanting to let Pepper, and all of the others down.

"Jane, we are going to start packing now. Where in California?" Jane was surprised at his enthusiasm. Why did he leave, if he really wanted to get back together?

"Los Angeles. Tell me when your flight is coming in and Pepper and I will come pick you up. See you soon!"

"Yeah, bye Jane." Steve hung up the phone and ran up the stairs, three at a time. He was a super solider. He burst in to the office and said to Peggy, "Peggy, sweetie, I've found the Avengers." She got up and looked at him wide eyed.

"Are you serious?" She asked.

"Deadly." Peggy smiled and hugged him. She knew that he regretted leaving them but was glad he did. Bow would they have met otherwise. "We just need to go on a trip to LA."

"Al is going to be so excited. When's the flight?"

"Whenever you book it for. But it needs to be asap."

"Right. I'll book the flights, quickly finish this stupid work and get Alice from school. You start mine and your packing. Al can do her own because she's a fast packer. Go." As Peggy left a few minutes later, she shouted up the stairs, "Steve! 7AM from Gatwick." That meant they had to be gone by 5AM because it took one hour to get there and flight regulations said you has to be there one hour before your flight was scheduled to take off. It was currently 3:10. Peggy got in to the car and drove to Alice's school. She normally walked but today she was running a little late and they had to hurry. Peggy stood in the school playground for a full minute until Alice's class began to come out. Typically Alice was last, chatting to her friends.

"Alice, come on. We really need to go."

"Okayyy mum... Bye guys." The pair walked back to the car and once they got in Alice asked, " Mum? Where do we really need to go? It must be urgent if you brought the car."

"Alice, would you care about missing school for a week, possibly two?"

"Of course not! What 're we doing?"

"I think your dad wants to tell you." They got to their house and Alice jumped out and ran to the door, which was locked. She had inherited most of the super soilder serum enabling her to run really fast amongst other things. She was on the school football (soccer) team, the only girl. She also played for a club and was overone of her teams top strikers. Peggy got out her key and opened the door. Alice bounded up the stairs, two at a time (Her legs were still small despite the super soliderness), in to her parents bedroom.

"Dad! Where are we going? Mum just said that I would miss some school." She flung open the door to find her dad bent over a suitcase.

"Al, don't get too excited ok? We're going to LA, tomorrow morning." He looked up and replied.

"REALLY! DAD! OHMIGOSH YOUR THE BEST!" She shouted hugging him. Steve smiled back at her enthusiasm.

"I know I am, go pack, baby, Flights at 7, we need to leave at 5. Don't tell your friends. Your going to be "ill" until we get back." At 5AM the family were ready and piled in to the car. At six thirty they boarded the plane heading for LA and sat down hoping either to sleep or that there were some good films. There were some good films but Alice could not get settled. She had never left Brittan before she went to Florida, now she was going to America again. She didn't know a thing about why she was going or what she was doing there and luckily for him, Steve was already asleep because if he was not, he would have been planted with questions. They would get there at 11AM LA time or 6PM English time. (**A/N that's an approximation, I have no idea how long it takes**)

STARK HOUSEHOLD

Meanwhile in LA, Jane called Pepper. "Pepper, I've done it, I convinced him to come!" Jane stated.

"Who, why, when, where?" Pepper asked, confuzzled.

"Steve, he's coming, probably be here tomorrow morning. Get Tony ready. I told him you and me would pick them up and you lot would have him to stay, so get your guest rooms ready." Jane landed the news on Pepper kind of suddenly.

"What? OK, I'll tell him. tell me when to pick you up so we can go to the airport. Bye."

"Bye." Pepper put down the phone and sighed. What had she let herself in for? How was she going to tell Tony that they were having Captain America, his wife and his daughter, round for a few days, Thor was coming one evening, Ella's pen pal was Bruce's daughter and Ella's boyfriend was Clint and Natasha's son? She had just sent him or to pick Ella up. Hopefully he would not meet either of them, because God help him if Natasha got him.

"PEPPER! WERE YOU AWARE THAT YOU WERE SENDING ME TO CLINT AND NATASHA'S HOUSE! El go... just go." Tony shouted as she walked through the door. Ella scurried off knowing it was best to follow orders when her dad was angry. Or had just got beaten up. Especially if was by a woman.

"Well, um, I thought it could be but I forgot you were going there! I thought it was just one of her friends." Pepper tried to make an excuse but failed, miserably.

"Pepper, are you trying to bring us back together?" Tony asked, her seriously.

"Possibly." Pepper squeaked.

"Pepper, I love you so much! I really want us to get back together. Who else have you recruited?" Pepper could not believe how well he was taking it.

"Steve is arriving tomorrow morning. The girl we are having to stay tomorrow, Lilly, is Bruce's daughter, I think. if she phones him and tells him to come over here then we've recruited him."

"Who's we?" He was worried, in case Fury or Hill were in on the project. He would have thought Coulson, but he was dead.

"Jane and I. Thor Jane. Thor a coming back from Asgard tomorrow and visiting the day after. You need to get Clint and Natasha though. You, Steve and maybe Bruce." Tony groaned inwardly. Having to go to Natasha's house again? Pepper must have been trying to kill him.

"So tomorrow, who's coming to stay?"

"Here? Lilly, Bruce's daughter, Steve, Peggy and Alice."

"Peggy and Alice are who?" He was sure Natasha was the only woman Avenger.

"Steve's wife and daughter. Shoot, we need to start getting ready." Pepper said and started to make the beds etc.

BANNER HOUSEHOLD

"Are you call set for tomorrow?" Bruce asked his daughter.

"Yep. We, well I, have been packed for days." Lilly replied. She and Lewis had never found out why they had heard of Barton and Stark.

"Good. Can I call them?" He wanted to call Pepper, just so she knew beforehand, if she didn't already.

"Yep, sure." She replied and handed her phone over. Bruce walked outside.

"Hello?" Ella asked.

"Hi Ella, It's me Bruce, Lilly's dad. Can I speak to your mum or dad?"

"Yeah, one sec. MUM!" Ella shouted the last word so loudly Bruce pulled the phone away from his ear.

"Hello?" The breathless voice of Pepper Stark asked.

"Hi, Pepper." He replied.

"Bruce? Is it you?" She was genuinely surprised, even though she had been talking about him moments ago.

"Yep Pepper. Lilly's coming tomorrow. Make sure you look after her well." This was what Bruce planned to say but it sounded a lot better in his head.

"Bruce..." Pepper began, dragging out the last letter.

"What Pepper?" He replied, knowing that she was going to ask him something.

"Would you and Betty like to come over? We'll pay for flights and everything."

"Pepper, are you sure?" He knew that Tony was a billionaire but still...

"Steve's coming tomorrow, Thor in two days."

"Clint and Natasha?" They needed all the Avengers to be there.

"Live in the next part of town."

"Pepper, we would love to."

"See you soon, text me when your flight lands and I'll come pick you up."

"Pepper, you know I never wanted to leave, it was just too empty and... Yeah. See you soon Pepper. Say hi to Tony and tell him I've missed being a science bro. All the partners I've had since him have been awful but the labs haven't had to be rebuilt as often. Bye, Pepper." For Pepper, Operation: Recruit Avengers was over.

"Bye." The call disconnected and Bruce smiled as he handed the phone back to Lilly.

"Go to sleep now, Lils." Bruce almost laughed. The Avengers were going to get back together.


	14. Arrivals

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Fourteen- Arrivals

THE NEXT DAY AT STARK HOUSEHOLD

"Pepper, I need you to pick me up now. They are going through customs." Jane announced in to the phone.

"Of course. I'll be there in a sec." Pepper put on her coat, grabbed her keys and got in to the car. She could not believe that she was picking up Steve Rogers from the airport. The Avengers were getting back together. She picked up Jane and together they went to the airport. The duo stood in arrivals next to all of the taxi men. It was only a few minutes before the Rogers family walked over.

"Steve?" Pepper asked, he hadn't changed much but he did spend almost seventy years in the ice, not changing.

"Pepper... Is it really you?" Pepper laughed. She could not believe that it was him. Steve could not believe that it was her, either.

"Dad, who are these people?" Alice whispered.

"Oh right. This is Pepper and Jane. You remember Jane right? In Florida? Pepper this is Peggy and Alice."

"I remember. Hi Pepper, Jane where's Blaze?" Alice replied.

"Hi guys. At his auntie's house. Should we go?" Jane answered, not wanting to hang around any longer.

"Yep, sure." They all piled in to the car, no one talking much. Steve, Peggy and Alice were tired from their journey, Jane and Pepper didn't have much to talk about. Soon they had dropped Jane off.

When they got to Pepper's house, they all went inside and J.A.R.I.V.S. said, "Is there anything I can do for you, Mrs Stark? Good to see you Mr Rogers."

"No Thanks J." Pepper replied.

"Who was that?" Alice asked.

"J.A.R.V.I.S, the robot butler." Steve replied.

"How do you know? Did you used to live here?"

"No. I used to live with Tony, Pepper and a few others and J.A.R.V.I.S. was installed there."

"Come on guys." Pepper had come back, "The kids are at school, Bruce isn't coming until later, Thor not til tomorrow, and you guys have to convince Natasha and Clint to come. J, tell Tony to come down here."

"He says he is coming." J.A.R.V.I.S. replied in his usual monotone.

"What do you- Steve?" Tony walked in to the room.

"Tony... Hi."

"Hello my old friend. Pepper did say you were coming by the way. What's your name?"

"Alice." Alice squeaked.

"One of my friends who is coming tomorrow night has a little girl just a bit older than you." Tony told her.

"Who's that?" Steve asked.

"Barton and Romanoff. Her name's Katya. It's short for something Russian."

"Defiantly Natasha's kid then." That's when they hit off. Steve and Tony caught up, Alice, Peggy and Pepper getting to know each other. They had lunch and Pepper left to go and pick up Bruce and Betty. Once she dropped them off, she went to pick up the kids from school because she was in a good mood.

"MUM!" Joe shouted as he went to get in to the car, "Why did you come and pick us up?"

"Because I need to talk to you before we get home. Hi Ella and Lilly! I'm Pepper, Ella's mum."

"Hi!" Lilly replied.

They all got in the car and Joe said, "What do you have to say?"

"Lilly won't be the only guest this week, ok? Just be nice to everyone. There's only one kid, Alice, who is nine. Be nice to her Joe." Joe groaned.

When they got back to the Stark mansion, Bruce opened the door. "What are YOU doing here?" Lilly asked. It was supposed to be her special weekend away, with her friends, no parents. But no, her father had to come and ruin it.

"Sorry, Lils, we both had to come." Her mother as well?

"Are you SERIOUS?!" She was angry. They were going to spoil this. She envied Lewis, with no one to watch over him.

"Come on Lilly," Ella said, "Let's go to my room." Ella led the way and they both disappeared. Pepper took Joe and Bruce to the main room where Betty, Peggy, Steve, Tony and Alice were.

"Joe, Alice. Alice this is Joe, my son." Pepper walked back to where Betty and Peggy were talking, leaving Alice and Joe awkwardly with each other.

"So err... Hi..." Joe began.

"Hi... Let's just get this out of the way. How does my dad know your dad and that other girl's dad?" Alice asked.

"I would tell you... If I knew the answer. Why are you here? You're from Britain right?" Joe replied.

"Yeah, yesterday dad just says we're going to LA for a week or two. I asked why and he just said to see some friends. Strange huh?" Alice said.

"Yeah... Strange... Why don't we go closer and try to listen in?" Joe inquired.

"Sure." They shuffled closer to their fathers and heard,

"-Others coming? Clint, Natasha, Thor?" That was Bruce.

"Thor, tomorrow night. Natasha and Clint err... I know where they are-" Tony replied.

"You haven't sorted it have you, Tony?" Bruce asked.

"You try! I went to her house the other day and all I got was a punch from Natasha. She may not be out in the field but she still has all of her old skills." He tried to stand up for himself.

"Come up to my room," Whispered Joe. Once they were there he asked, "Do you know anyone called Thor?"

"No. Actually I do. I saw his wife today. She said to your mum that they were coming round tomorrow. It fits! Do you know anyone called Clint or Natasha?"

"It sounded as if they were connected. Clint and Natasha. Natasha and Clint." He thought for what seemed like ages but was only a minute. "Natasha and... I got it! Katya's mum and dad are called Natasha and Clint! We need to go see Ella and find out exactly what happened yesterday."

"Your call." Alice dragged herself off the bed and in to Ella's room, with Joe.

"Why are they even here?!" Joe guessed that was Lilly, he could also hear her pacing.

He opened the door and Ella said, "What do you want?" Like he was a lower being than her.

"I would like, your highness, for you to tell me about what happened at Katya's yesterday." Joe asked.

"Why should I help you?" Ella replied.

"I might be able to tell you why Lilly's parents are here, why everyone else is here, why dad hates Katya's mum, why Katya's mum hates you."

"Natasha punched dad who couldn't fight back until Clint told her to leave him alone."

"Well that didn't explain much. But it means that it must be them." He paused for a moment. "Can I borrow your laptop for a second, El?"

"Sure." She handed it over to him and Joe decided to load it up in Ella's room so he could tell them all at the same time.

"Do you know Natasha's maiden name?" Joe asked, while it was still loading up. Before Ella could say that she didn't, Pepper called them downstairs and they had stayed downstairs until they all fell asleep, Alice first.


	15. Ambush

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Fifteen- Ambush

BARTON HOUSEHOLD

Clint and Natasha both grabbed their weapons from under the pillows and made their ways downstairs where the noise that had awoken them had come from.

"Hey don't shoot me!" The scared voice of Steve Rogers said but you could only tell it was him once he was under the light. Captain America had developed a little British accent!

"Steve I have no idea why you are in my house but I am only going to say this once. Get out if you value your life." Natasha growled.

"Come on Spidey, he flew all the way over here." Tony Stark said, stepping out of the shadows.

"Oh God not you, I've already beaten you up this week." Natasha shook her head, hoping that she was dreaming.

"Not just him all of us, minus Thor, Natasha," Bruce said.

"Hi Bruce your kid is asleep upstairs." Clint said cheerfully.

"Now do you believe me when I told you we should go?" Natasha hissed at Clint.

"Nope." He said back.

"Guys, how are you? We haven't seen you in what, sixteen years?" Steve asked.

"Today exactly. Well, Stark an I had the misfortune of meeting twice before this but for the rest of you it is sixteen years." Natasha said dryly. She really did not want to be part of the Avengers again. She felt like her ledger was finally cleared, she did not want any more red.

"More like a misfortune for me..." Tony muttered, remembering what happened previously.

"MUM? DAD?" Katya shouted down the stairs, thinking she heard voices.

"I'll be up in a sec, Kat." Natasha said back. "All of you, out my house, NOW!" Natasha said as she went upstairs to see Katya.

"You did wake her up in the middle of the night," Clint said, "Did you forget how grumpy she gets or something?"

"Oh...yeah..." Tony said. "Give her this and convince her to come. Use the kids against her too, tell Katya and Ethan that Ella and Joe will be there. Bruce will text Lewis and tell him to say he wants to go. You have to come. Tell Spidey Pep will be there."

"One question. Who are you supposed to be to them? What are we supposed to tell them?" Clint asked.

"Cross the bridge if we come to it." Tony replied, handing over an envelope.

"I'd take her advice if you value your life, get out of our house." Clint stated.

"One question." Tony said.

"Fire, tin can." Clint replied.

"Do we invite Eye patch?" Tony asked.

"I don't know. Who is actually going to be there?" Clint asked.

"Us lot plus wife and kids. Darcy and son." Tony answered.

"If you want him to be there. One condition though." Clint said.

"What, Legolas?" Tony asked.

"He doesn't try to recruit me or Nat for S.H.I.E.L.D. and we don't want to get back into all this Avengers stuff." Clint replied.

"Sure, Katniss. We won't invite him, pirate's probably too busy being the master spy. Let's go guys before Spidey comes back." Tony said and they left. He made his way up to Katya's room and stood in the doorway, listening. Natasha was softly singing a Russian lullaby as Katya fell asleep.

"Did you make them go away?" Natasha asked, standing up.

"Yeah but he gave me this and said we have to be there." Natasha took the envelope, opened it and read the letter.

"No." Natasha growled handing it back, "Not going. Nope. No." Clint sighed and promised himself he would try again tomorrow morning. They both crawled under the bed sheets and went to sleep.

THE NEXT MORNING

"Katya, Ethan, Lewis? Will you help me?" Clint asked, knowing he would need all the help he could get.

"To do what?" Katya asked.

"To convince mum to go to a party." Clint replied.

"Do I have to come?" Katya asked.

"Yes." Clint answered.

"No then." Katya told him.

"I'm out too." Ethan said. They both hated parties.

"Ethan, Ella will be there." Clint teased.

"And..." He said.

"We'll be there all night so you can have a really long talk. Nothing else though, nothing else at all." Clint's mind was full of wrong images.

"Ok, I'll help." He said.

"Katya, Joe will be there." Clint teased.

"And..." Katya said.

"He's your friend." Clint said.

"No, I hate parties." Katya really did detest them.

"Its a really small one, there's going to be twentyish people and there's another little girl called... I don't know her name. God, I don't know anyone. Kat, you know I said I only had seven friends, one was dead, one was married to me? Here's your chance to meet them." Clint thought of a long ago conversation on the roof.

"Okay dad, I'll help." Katya said, suddenly curious.

"Lewis you won't mind? Your dad mum and sister are going." Clint asked, hoping it was ok with his guest.

"Okay. Dad texted me to help anyway. Are you guys friends?" He asked.

"Used to be. Do you want breakfast?" Clint asked.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Mummy, daddy says we're going to a party today!" Katya exclaimed, walking into Clint and Natasha's bedroom.

"No, we are not darling, sorry but no." Natasha said, burying her had back in to the pillows.

"Please mummy? It sounds fun!" Katya asked.

"It won't be." Natasha said, her voice muffled by the pillows.

"Fineeeee." Katya pouted and left.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Mum can we go to this party? I haven't seen Ella in about a week." Ethan asked.

"No." Ethan walked away without another word.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Please Tasha. Just this once?"

"No."

"Pepper will be there."

"Pepper probably hates me."

"No, she really wants to see you."

"Clint. I am not going to this party. The Avengers will suck us back in. I have only just stopped my ledger from dripping, I don't want it to overflow once more. " Clint turned and walked away. As soon as there was talk of red ledgers, he had lost. It was up to Lewis now.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Natasha was sitting on the couch with her book. Lewis walked over and sat down next to her.

"Excuse me, Mrs Barton?" He asked.

"Natasha is fine and yes, Lewis?

"Can we really not go to that party tonight? My sister is there and I want to check if she's ok, she normally gets really homesick." Natasha caved. She could not stop this little boy from caring about his sister. The talk of Pepper had almost cracked her but this was too much.

"Yes we're going, I changed my mind, CLINT WE'RE GOING IN AN HOUR."


	16. Together

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Fifteen- Together

STARK HOUSEHOLD

"Guys! Merida said that he convinced Spidey to come! For you guys that's Natasha and Clint." An excited Tony Stark shouted.

"Really?" Pepper asked, smiling. She hadn't seen her friend in a long time, too long. Tony nodded.

"Does that mean that Ethan is coming too?" Ella asked, excited. It had only been yesterday but she could never see enough of him.

"And Katya?" Joe demanded, wanting to see someone that he actually knew well.

"Yes, though her name still should have been Katniss." Tony remarked.

"Dad, I don't get that, still, and why won't you tell me?" Joe asked. He had never seen or heard of the hunger games so of course he didn't know who Katniss was.

"Because," *Doorbell rings* "Of that." Tony walked to the front door and, like he always did, put his ear to it before opening it.

"Thor, I told you, it is not dangerous."A feminine voice said. Tony guessed that it must have been Jane.

"Then why are we here?" Thor asked.

Tony slowly opened the door and said, "To see me, big guy." Thor looked utterly bewildered before crushing him in to a massive bear hug.

"Man of Iron, is it truly you?" He whispered.

"Yes-but-can't-breathe-Thor." He let him go immediately. Then Steve came wandering down to the lobby.

"Captain?" Thor couldn't believe it. All his old friends were here.

"Come inside. All of you." Tony said, gesturing to Darcy and Finn. After Thor had gone round, and seen who was there, he asked Tony,

"Man of Iron, where is friend Clint and Lady Natasha?"

"Err..." *Doorbell rings* "Here?"

"I'll get it." Pepper said and walked, trying not to run, off to get it.

"Natasha?" She asked, wrenching open the door.

"Pepper!" She squealed. Natasha could not believe that she was actually excited. They pulled each other in to a girl hug.

"Mum, how come you almost attack Ella's Dad but hug her mum?" Ethan asked.

"Her mum and dad are very different people." Clint supplied.

"Come in guys." Pepper said and led the way to the lounge where all the others were.

"Friend Clint, Lady Natasha. What a pleasure it is to see you!" Thor said.

"You too Thor." Clint replied and Natasha looked at the ground. There was a long awkward silence before Clint said, "Who is everybody? I mean, can we do some ice breakers or something. I think I know who most of you are but I don't really know you anymore."

"I feel the same, friend Clint. But what is an ice breaker?"

"It's a game we play to get to know each other better. You say your name and something that you like." Tony replied. "Who wants to go first?" Everyone stared at each other until Lewis said,

"I will. I'm Lewis and I like... err... sleeping?"

"Lew, that was awful. I'm Lilly, this idiot's twin, and I like chemistry."

"I'm Joe and I like engineering."

"I'm Ella and I like..." Ella weighed her options. Shopping, texting or talking. Definitely shopping "shopping."

"I'm Ethan and I like... running." Ethan couldn't think of anything.

"I'm Blaze and I like coffee. I know it's a strange addiction."

"I'm Finn and I like basketball. I'm hopeless but, I like it."

"I'm Alice and I like football. I mean soccer. That's what you call it here, isn't it? I'm the only girl on the school football- soccer- team." Katya would not speak.

"Yeah, I'm Tony. I like annoying Pepper."

"I'm Pepper and I like annoying Tony."

"My name is Thor and I, like my son, adore coffee. Though, I do love pop tarts the most." Jane shook her head.

"How many microwaves have you broken?" Tony joked under his breath.

"39. None in the last three years though." Jane, who happened to be standing next to him said. "I'm Jane. I like astrophysics."

"I'm Darcy and I like history."

"I'm Steve and I like visiting museums." Alice gave a half sigh, half groan.

"I'm Peggy and I like music."

"I'm Betty and I like teaching."

"I'm Bruce and I don't like being a doctor but I do like making people better."

"I'm Clint and I like Archery. Go Tasha. You agreed." She eyed Clint who eyed her back.

"You guys can still do that?" Tony asked.

"Yes, Stark, and I'm NATasha. I like sparring. With Clint. Katya, honey, go. These people won't hurt you." Natasha eyed Katya who eyed her back.

"You can do that with your kids too?"

"Yes. I am Yekaterina. I am Katya to most people. I like archery. Happy?" She asked Natasha. Who eyed her.

"I forgot how much that eye thing annoyed me." Tony remarked.

All the children walked over to the person they knew. Ethan walked over to Ella. Joe walked over to Katya who was still very tense. She disliked meeting new people. Lewis walked over to Lilly and ticked her off for making him look stupid. Finn and Blaze were running around after each other. Alice was left at a loose end.

"I feel bad now." Katya whispered to Joe.

"Lets go over to her then." Joe whispered back.

"She probably thinks I'm a right idiot. I am just stupid when it comes to meeting new people. I always make the wrong impression." Katya whispered again, feeling really awkward.

"You made the right impression on me." As Joe said it, he thought that it sounded wrong. He meant as a best friend.

"After a month."

"Katya, don't worry. It will be fine." The pair walked over to where Alice stood alone.

"Hi," Joe said, "Alice right?"

"Yeah. Katya and Joe?" She replied

"Yep." Katya said, suddenly appearing to make an effort.

"How do you two know each other?" She asked as it was obvious that they did.

"We're in the same class and-" Joe began.

"We do athletics at school together. Never lost a relay race. Well any race." Katya finished.

"Cool. How do my mum and dad know yours? I mean, they live in different continents. Dad just said after school on Thursday that we were suddenly going to LA the next morning." Alice asked.

"Sorry, no idea. Apparently her mum used to work for my father." Joe stated.

"I still don't buy it, Joe." Katya said. She did not. Not one bit.

The adults, meanwhile, had separated into two groups. Boys and girls. "So guys, how have you been? It's been sixteen years. A lot has changed." Steve said.

"It has. Sixteen years ago I didn't know if I could even have kids." Bruce stated.

"Do you remember all those years ago, back in the tower, what a laugh we had, how fun it was?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, do you remember when we changed the push and pull signs around, Tony? Bruce was stuck in the lab for ages." Clint smiled at the prank that they had pulled.

"Or when we changed J.A.V.I.S.' voice?" Tony asked. One day Clint and Tony had broken into J.A.R.V.I.S.' control box and changed his voice to a screaming woman, who was quite annoying but incredibly funny.

"That was actually quite funny." Steve said.

"Until Pepper and Natasha found out." Bruce grumbled. They had never been shouted at like that before, or since. Not Pepper and Natasha together, anyway. Joe, Katya and Alice had inched close enough to hear the adults conversation now. Joe was monitoring the boys, Alice the girls. Katya was both and feeding the others lines.

"The men used to live together with Joe's and my mum. They played pranks, mainly on Joe's dad and who is Jarvis?" Katya asked.

"An AI. Sort of like a butler but he's a robot. Listen. Hey Jarv, what's the time?" Joe replied.

"The current time in Los Angeles is approximately nine seventeen pm." The strange voice came from nowhere.

"Cool. Wait, can he tell us what they are talking about?" Katya asked, suddenly very interested in the little guy.

"I don't know. Let's try." Joe replied.

"Guys. I think I got something." Alice reported before they could try and the two older children stopped to listen.

"What are we going to tell them? How can you say to your kid, I'm sorry for not telling you earlier but your father was a superhero who save the world multiple times." Pepper said.

"And mother." Natasha agreed.

"You guys have it easy. I have to tell Blaze that his father was a superhero; A demigod and next in line to the throne on a different planet." Jane stated.

"I don't have to say anything." Darcy was pleased. How could the others keep a secret like that for sixteen years?

"I'm leaving it to Bruce." Betty said. It was his problem. "They know about the other guy, just not what he did with it. In fact, Lewis has his own."

"How am I meant to say your dad is over 100 years old? And that he loved your great-grandmother before your mother?" Peggy asked.

"If I left it to Clint, they would never know." Natasha said. Clint was never organised. Even after all this time.

"Or Tony. You know, in all these years, I don't think that he has gotten a jot more responsible. Or grown up at all." Pepper said. It was true, he really hadn't. "But they already know about the suit. Just not the superhero part."

"Seriously Pepper? I don't know how you live." Natasha had experienced Tony's childlike state more than once.

BACK TO THE BOYS

"Remember all those nicknames we used to call each other?" Tony asked, reminiscing.

"Yeah, Tin Can." Clint replied.

"Calm down Legolas." He had no idea what to say, just wanted to get a nickname in there somewhere.

"Ok, Iron Ass."

"Good one, Katniss."

"I can't think of any more for you. Pick on some one else." Clint whined.

"Ok Merida. By the way why didn't you name your little girl that? Red head, bow and arrow?" Tony asked. He thought that it was a brilliant idea.

"I would not let her be laughed at like that. Not Katniss either." Clint was deadly serious and not ready to admit that He has wanted to call her that.

"Spoilsport. Now let us have a challenge. Who do I have the most nicknames for? Capsicle, Star Spangled man with a plan, Spangles, Cap'n crunch, boy scout. Big guy, point break, Goldilocks. Merida, Katniss, Legolas, Robin Hood, Feathers, Birdbrain. Jolly Green Giant, Grinch. Natashalie, Itsy-Bitsy-Spider, Spidey. Feathers you win." He counted on his fingers.

"I'm sure there was more though I don't see how you called Natasha that many nicknames."

"I have impeccable timing." By that he meant he said them when Natasha was either asleep, tied down or behind her back.

Alice poked Joe and Katya. "I know this may be a bad time but I think your siblings are playing tonsil tennis." Katya gave her a look which made clear that she didn't know what tonsil tennis was, "Tonsil tennis, no? It means kissing."

"Oh. EWWWW!" Katya exclaimed, then all the adults noticed. Natasha covered her eyes, as did Pepper.

"Lovely." Clint said, dryly.

Soon after they ordered pizza and watched a movie, there was a big fight over that. In the end they decided on the hunger games because Clint and Katya wanted it so Natasha wanted it and Tony wanted Joe and Ella to get his Katniss joke. Tony was the master of the TV so he decided any way. By the time it had finished all the children were tired and were put to bed, Ella and Ethan in the same room, Katya and Alice camped on Joe's bedroom floor, Blaze in a guest room, Lilly and Lewis a twin guest room that Lilly was sleeping in anyway. Darcy took Finn home. The rest of the adults then put on a more adulty movie and every single one of them fell asleep watching it.


	17. Torture

**A/N I'm sorry about how confusing this chapter is but hopefully it should all make sense soon. Please review!**

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Seventeen- Torture

STARK HOUSEHOLD

"Avengers-" Director Fury said.

"Don't call us that, we all left, eye patch. There are no Avengers." Tony replied. He had just been woken up and let's just say, not in the best of moods.

"And also Natasha is not here. Where is she?" Clint wondered. He was sure Natasha had been next to him when he fell asleep the night before.

"Well then, you lot, you might want to assemble." The director said calmly, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

"WHAT?" The voices of Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner and Thor exclaimed.

"Your wives and daughters have been taken, it's in your best interest." He carried on. He was met with silence until Tony regained his voice,

"Pepper, Ella?" He whispered.

"Tasha? Katya?" Clint questioned.

"Betty, Lilly?" Bruce looked shocked.

"Jane..." Thor said.

"Peggy? Alice?" They were all Steve had.

"Yes, all of them. Are you going to get them or does someone else have to die for you to assemble?"

"I'm going guys, Where are they?" Bruce asked.

"We don't know." The director said

"Who has them?" Clint asked.

"We don't know." The director said.

"What is he doing to them?" Steve asked.

"We don't know. I realise it's not much to go on-" The director said.

"That's nothing to go on." Tony cut him off..

"But Stark and Banner may be able to locate it. A helicarrier just like-" The director said.

"Don't say it." S.H.I.E.L.D. brought back memories for Clint. Of the Avengers, of Natasha, of Phil. He proposed to her on that helicarrier.

"Ok Barton. This helicarrier can go under water and also in the sky. If you two can sweep the sky and North Atlantic Ocean for any signs of technology we can find them. They were headed that way."

"Ok, us two will do that. The rest of you can go get the boys up and show them their suits and weapons and maybe get in a little training." Tony said.

"Will do. Everyone go." Steve said, the Captain in him coming back to him. Clint and Thor went upstairs to wake their sons. Steve went to wake Joe and Lewis.

ENEMY BASE SOMEPLACE ON EARTH

Something was not right. For one Betty Banner remembered passing out on a soft couch at Tony Stark's place, not this hard mattress in a cold, dark room. Two she remembered Bruce being beside her, not Lilly. "Mum? What's happened? Where the heck are we?"

"Lils, I don't know, I just don't know. I only pray someone comes to get us." Betty then burst out crying, leaving Lilly helpless. She mentally damned her parents for not telling her about their pasts.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Natasha thought the same thoughts. She knew going to that party was a bad idea. Why did Clint want to go? Why did Ethan fall in love with Stark's daughter? Why was Katya friends with his son? Why did Ethan get Bruce's son as a Pen pal? What had led her perfect family to this twisted version of fate?

"Mum?" Katya whispered, sounding really scared.

"Kat, do you have a bow or knife?"

"No, sorry, I've only got one arrow minus a head."

'Damn it' Natasha thought. She knew her guns had been taken as well, along with her knives, her widow bites had been left at home.

"Don't be sorry. Katya, I am going to protect you. I will never let anyone hurt you." Katya didn't believe her. Natasha couldn't see her face not to know.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Pepper rolled over expecting to see Tony Stark's sleeping face beside her. Instead it was Ella's.

"What the heck are you doing in my bed?" She shouted and ran across the room, expecting to find a door. There wasn't one.

"What is this place?" Ella asked, rubbing her eyes but, seemingly calm. "J.A.R.V.I.S. where are we?" There was no reply. "Mum, I think we've been taken." Pepper stared at her. She realized what her daughter had said was probably true. They both started crying in to the others shoulders.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Peggy was sleeping peacefully. Alice grew tired of waiting. She prodded her. "Mum? Where are we?" Alice barely whispered. She was hardly ten. Unlike all the others, she had not known her father was special in any way. Tony had shown his kids his suit and their suits. Thor had shown Blaze how to control his fire and even though he didn't know about Asgard he knew he was special in some way. Clint and Natasha had taught their kids their skills. Bruce had lost it one night and exploded in to the other guy before running into the woods, and taught Lewis how to make the other guy listen to people. Steve had never shown her his Shield or suit and though that she was too young to train. Now she was defenceless and her mother would not wake up. "mum, Mum, MUM!" She shouted.

"Can't you tell Daddy, baby?" Peggy asked.

"He's not here." Alice started crying.

"Baby," Peggy finally opened her eyes. This was not Stark's mansion. "Alice, baby, stop crying. I know where we are." She didn't but guessed Alice needed security now. "And you can be damn well sure that Daddy will come and save us, with all those nice guys we met last night." Alice sniffed. She sensed she needed to be strong, if not for her, for her mother. "Alice. Look at me," Peggy said and when their eyes connected, "I love you."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Jane was the only one to wake up alone and though she did not know it, last. 'Where am I?' She thought and once she realized it was a cell, she shouted "Thor, you better get your arse down here and save me cause if I get hurt you will probably hurt yourself and no one will look after Blaze." After an hour though, for some reason she was sure Thor was not coming. There was always Darcy.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

There was a creak at the door. "Lilly get behind me." Betty whispered however, the guards pushed her forwards. They were both handcuffed and led through a mixture of passage ways to a room which had a red light above the door. It wasn't on. The door had a sign on it which read 'STARK'

"Not this one," one of the guys muttered, "They're Banner." Betty and Lilly were led down the rest of the corridor, past ROGERS, ODINSON and BARTON. Betty wondered whether everyone had been caught or whether it was just their wives and daughters. As they walked past BARTON she wondered if Natasha had been taken, being a master assassin and all. The cuffs were taken off and they were thrown into the final room which said BANNER.

"Welcome, Elizabeth and Lilly, to your own personal torture." A voice full of malice said and It began.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Pepper Potts. Wife to Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. and Iron Man. and his daughter." A voice coming out of the blackness said. Pepper had stopped crying about half an hour ago but Ella was still going.

"I love you, El. They're going to take us somewhere now but Dad, Joe, Ethan, Ethan's Dad, Your pen pals brother, his Dad, and all the others will save us. Your not going to die, I won't let you." Pepper whispered as a man in black walked into the room..

"I'll be ok mum. just stay with me." Ella sniffed back. This man didn't talk to them as he put some cuffs on. Pepper and Ella came from the opposite end of the corridor to Betty and Lilly. As they passed BANNER, Pepper heard a scream from the room. That was horrible. Also, if that had made Betty or Lilly scream, what sort of torture were they going to inflict upon them. The BANNER light was also the only one flashing, none of the others were, did they have different tortures for each of them? They passed BARTON, ODINSON and ROGERS. They stopped in front of STARK. They were decuffed and pushed into the room.

"Welcome, Virginia and Ella, to your own personal torture." A voice, full of malice said, and It began.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Alice, are you ok? Just stay with me, baby." Peggy said as the door opened.

"Mummy I'm scared." Alice whimpered.

"Mummy I'm scared," a guy who had just walked into the room imitated. He came in and roughly handcuffed them both, tearing Alice away from Peggy. Peggy gave him a look, and wished she had the strength to fight. He left with promises to be back and Peggy ran over to Alice.

"Alice baby, I can't lose you, I can't let daddy lose you, he's lost too many people. I promise, baby, you'll be-" The man came back and cut her off by saying,

"Come on, or I'll force you to come." He grabbed Alice, who had curled up in a ball on the floor and, held her at arms length, still in her ball.

"Alice, baby," Peggy's desperate call was met with Alice's cries.

"Come," the other man said, "It's the only way to protect her." Peggy ran after her, the other man barely keeping up. She walked passed BANNER and heard someone crying, BARTON and heard nothing, ODINSON and heard nothing, and stopped at ROGERS. She also heard what can only be described as something hitting the wall, further down the corridor and guessed that was STARK. The man holding Alice set her down and was removing her handcuffs. The other man removed hers. What was the point in them in the first place? They only made her run slower? The nicer man gently pushed them into the room.

"Welcome, Margret III and Alice, to your own personal torture." A voice, full of malice said, and It began.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Who are you?" Jane asked when a man in black uniform walked in.

"Can't tell ya, more than my jobs worth to tell you that." The man in black uniform said.

"Have you got Blaze or Thor?" Jane asked, only caring about them.

"I don't think so, I am telling the truth. Actually I know we don't. Boss told us to only take the women and girls." She could tell that he was being truthful.

"So, little Alice is in this hell hole, and Katya?" Now she was worried about the other kids.

"Yeah, I probably. I saw what he did to Alice was it? Though, that was horrible.." He gagged at the memory.

"Who is even here?" Jane was suddenly curious hoping that it would buy her more time.

"Two Banners, Two Bartons, Two Rogers, Two Starks and you. The others all have someone with them." The guy replied.

"Oh, Ok. Can we get this over and done with?" She didn't care about time anymore. If she was going to die, she wanted it over and done with.

"Yeah, sorry this is necessary." He clicked the handcuffs in to place. "Follow me." When they got to the final hallway, there were all sorts of different sounds. Screaming, crying, weird different noises and more. Jane guessed they all had different tortures and hers was something to do with Thor. He took the handcuffs off and followed her into the room which said ODINSON.

"I'm so sorry about this." He whispered as he got her to stand up against a wall. He chained her to it, apologising all the time. He inserted a needle in her left arm and practically ran out.

"Welcome, Jane, to your own personal torture." A voice, full of malice said, and It began.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Natasha saw something move in the darkness. Her hands flew to her holsters which, of course, were empty. "Hey don't kill me," A voice said it was a guy wearing a black uniform, "It's only my job."

"Then let us out of here." Natasha growled back at him.

"No my jobs worth more than that." He replied

"Where are we?" Katya asked, sweetly.

"I don't know. The sky somewhere, or the sea. It's like that helicarrier thing S.H.I.E.L.D. has." He replied, not knowing that she didn't know what S.H.I.E.L.D. was.

"Don't mention that." S.H.I.E.L.D. brought back memories for Natasha. Of the Avengers, of Clint. He proposed to her on that helicarrier. Katya knew nothing.

"What the hell is S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Katya asked and the guy said

"Cos I'm nice I'm going to give you 60 seconds of private time to tell her." He left the room.

"Go." Katya said once he had left.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. is the secret agency that Dad and I worked at. We-we were assassins ok? We didn't want you to be scared of us. S.H.I.E.L.D. is still around, from what I hear, and it brought me, dad and the men we met last night together. The Avengers. Questions?" Katya just stared at her until the guy came back.

"Guys your 60 seconds is up. Sorry but I have to put these on you now." He held up two sets of handcuffs.

"You touch her and you die." Natasha growled.

"I'll be very careful not to touch her." He replied. He put the cuffs on Natasha and then carefully on Katya, and didn't touch her. He looked back at Natasha who mouthed so Katya didn't see or hear, 'Look after her, please.' He nodded.

"Lee, I'll take it from here." Another guy said, entering the room. He kicked Natasha out of the room, physically kicked her, and said, "You take that one." He went out after her.

"Come on," He said gently, "I promised I would look after you." The two female Bartons were led down a corridor to a white room. Their cuffs were removed and some clothes were throw at them. Clothes maybe a bit of a over statement. Both of them were given vest tops and shorts which had more holes than Swiss cheese, were very thin and covered in blood but not their blood, yet.

"You guys done yet?" The guy who the other guy called Lee asked.

"Yes," Came Natasha's hoarse reply. Katya hadn't noticed that her mum had been silently crying. Katya thought she was going to vomit if she said anything. They were re-cuffed and led down two more corridors. The third corridor had lights above their doors, as well as names on them. Only one light wasn't on and Natasha saw it was BARTON as that had passed STARK, ODINSON and ROGERS. The room further down with a flashing light must have been BANNER. They were decuffed again and the guy who was not Lee kicked, again physically, into this room. Katya cautiously.

"Welcome, Natalia and Yekaterina to your own personal torture." A voice, full of malice said, and It began.


	18. Assemble

**A/N The bit in italics is from the last chapter bit you need it to make this one make sense. **

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Eighteen- Assemble

STARK HOUSEHOLD

_"Avengers-" Director Fury said._

_"Don't call us that, we all left, eye patch. There are no Avengers." Tony replied. He had just been woken up and let's just say, not in the best of moods._

_"And also Natasha is not here. Where is she?" Clint wondered. He was sure Natasha had been next to him when he fell asleep the night before._

_"Well then, you lot, you might want to assemble." The director said calmly, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary._

_"WHAT?" The voices of Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner and Thor exclaimed._

_"Your wives and daughters have been taken, it's in your best interest." He carried on. He was met with silence until Tony regained his voice,_

_"Pepper, Ella?" He whispered._

_"Tasha? Katya?" Clint questioned._

_"Betty, Lilly?" Bruce looked shocked._

_"Jane..." Thor said._

_"Peggy? Alice?" They were all Steve had._

_"Yes, all of them. Are you going to get them or does someone else have to die for you to assemble?"_

_"I'm going guys, Where are they?" Bruce asked._

_"We don't know." The director said_

_"Who has them?" Clint asked._

_"We don't know." The director said._

_"What is he doing to them?" Steve asked._

_"We don't know. I realise it's not much to go on-" The director said._

_"That's nothing to go on." Tony cut him off.._

_"But Stark and Banner may be able to locate it. A helicarrier just like-" The director said._

_"Don't say it." S.H.I.E.L.D. brought back memories for Clint. Of the Avengers, of Natasha, of Phil. He proposed to her on that helicarrier._

_"Ok Barton. This helicarrier can go under water and also in the sky. If you two can sweep the sky and North Atlantic Ocean for any signs of technology we can find them. They were headed that way."_

_"Ok, us two will do that. The rest of you can go get the boys up and show them their suits and weapons and maybe get in a little training." Tony said._

_"Will do. Everyone go." Steve said, the Captain in him coming back to him. Clint and Thor went upstairs to wake their sons. Steve went to wake Joe and Lewis._

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Daddddd." Ethan whinged. It was too early for him.

"Ethan get up. Get up now." They walked to the car and got in.

"Why are we going?" Ethan asked as Clint drove, his knuckles turning white as he clutched the wheel.

"They've been taken." He said through clenched teeth.

"Who?" Ethan wondered.

"Mum, Katya, Ella, Pepper, Alice, Peggy, Betty, Lilly, Jane." They had gotten home, Clint had been speeding but he honestly didn't care. Katya and Natasha were all that mattered to him right now

"Right. What do we do?" He asked, being no expert in the assassin business, he had no idea how to find them, or get them out safely.

"You wear that," Clint said throwing one of his spare Hawkeye suits at him and putting his old main one on himself. He went and found the holsters, guns, a bow and quiver of many arrows. He grabbed two of Natasha's catsuits and widow bites and chucked it all in the boot of the car.

"Where are we going now?" Ethan asked.

"Have you ever heard of the Avengers?" Clint asked hoping that he hadn't.

"No. Who are they?" That was a relief but it would make it so much more complicated.

"Never mind. All the others' wives and daughters have been taken as well. We're all going to get them back." They arrived back at Stark's mansion.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Blaze, son, get up." Thor said, bursting into the room where his son was sleeping. Thor had already got his full armour on.

"Okay..." Blaze had never seen Thor's armour before. They made their way out into the garden and Thor stuck his hand out to retrieve his Mjolnir.

"Blaze copy me." Blaze thought that he looked like an idiot but did it anyway. When he saw the Mjolnir coming he realized. Then he saw his sword behind it. He grabbed it and Thor waved the Mjolnir in front of Blaze. Asgardian armour appeared on him, seemingly out of thin air.

"Cool, dad." Blaze marvelled.

"Blaze do you remember what I taught you to do with your sword?" Thor said seriously.

"Yes everything. Why? Blaze asked, wondering why he would possibly need it.

"Your mother has been taken. We need you to help get her back to us." The two of them made their way back inside and met Clint and Ethan in the lobby. They made their ways to the Lab together.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Steve wait a second." The two scientists told Steve.

"This is Joe's suit. Tell him to try it out, just tell him to tell J.A.R.V.I.S. what to do." Tony told him, handing over a box.

"Don't get Lewis up. I'll do it once we have located it. I can inform him on the jet and he doesn't really need to train. Hulk Smash." Bruce told him and Steve half smiled remembering the many times he had said that. He went upstairs taking the suit with him.

"Joe. We need you to get up." Steve said, shaking the small boy

"Who are you- Wait are you called Steve? From last night and the day before?" He thought it had all been a dream.

"Yeah. Try this on for size." He pushed the box towards him.

"Dad made me my own suit?! That's so cool!" Joe was very excited and didn't seem to realise that there would be a reason for him having one.

"Try it on we don't have much time and you have to try it out." Steve tapped his wrist, even though he didn't have a watch on.

"Oh Ok." He stuck his hand into the suit and said "Jarv, fly." Joe then flew out of the open window. He shot some repulsive rays and flew back and looked through the window. Steve looked back and was stunned at what he saw. The Iron Boy was just the same as Iron Man but with blue and black instead of gold and red, and a little smaller.

"It works." Iron Boy said.

"Come on, I need to suit up and we have some people to save." The Captain said and Iron Boy flew back inside. "Go to your dad and see if he needs anything. He's in the lab." Joe went off to the Lab and Steve left to find his suit which he packed, somehow knowing that he would need it.

"We found it guys." Tony said as Steve entered the lab. "Still looking good spangly. So what's the plan, star spangled man with a plan?"

"We go in there take the girls, kill the bad guy and get out." Steve said

"That's a good plan. Now how'd we get there?" Thor said.

"Stark do you have a fast jet?" Clint asked.

"Yeah, but I can't fly it." Tony replied. Even he didn't know what the point of having a jet was if he couldn't fly it.

"I can, if it's like the quinjets." Clint said.

"Ok, I'll take you lot down and get the system to find it working and Bruce can get Lewis. The rest of you follow me." Tony said as he grabbed a cardboard box off the shelf, Clint picked up his rucksack and they went down to the ground floor. All of them climbed aboard the jet, Blaze, Joe and Ethan awed by the sight of it.

"Cap can you co-pilot?" Clint asked.

"Yeah, sure. We need code names for you kids." Captain said. Bruce and Lewis got on and strapped in. The only sound was the whirring engines as they took off.

"Joe can be called Iron Boy." Tony said, once they were in the air.

"Ok and Lewis can be little hulk or hulk junior." Bruce said.

"Blaze is Blaze like I am Thor." Thor said

"Sorry, Ethan I have no idea what to call you." Clint said All of them ummed and erred, for a bit until The Captain said,

"If you get a suit made would it be blue?"

"It could be, what we're you thinking?" Ethan replied.

"Blue bullet. It's a bit weird but, yeah it was a stupid idea." Steve said sheepishly.

"No I like it. Blue Bullet. That's me." Ethan liked his code name.

"And when the girls find out, they'll want to be part of this too. As we have hours to kill, anyone got any of the girls code names?" Steve asked.

"Ella can be Iron Girl." Tony said.

"Alice, when she has been trained, can be Lady America." Steve said.

"Do you think Katya is a good enough name?" Clint asked, he couldn't think of any.

"No." Steve and Tony said.

"Fine, Amber Arrow." Clint said.

"Not bad. Any ideas for Lilly?" Steve asked.

"She's not a hulk but when she's angry she's just as strong," Bruce said, "Name ideas anyone?"

"What are her traits?" Steve asked, thinking that would help.

"She's nice? She's cool?" He wasn't sure.

"She's weird and annoying but also funny and kind." Lewis said, sure of himself.

"I have no idea." Steve said. They all had no idea. They thought about it for hours, some of their minds going off topic, until Clint suddenly said,

"We should see it in a minute." and at the same time Steve said,

"I see it!"

"What's the plan?" Bruce asked.

"Code names from now on. We split up in to our families and infiltrate the base. We try to find anyone. Who's going to stay up here?" They needed someone who could fly the plane but also keep enemies away from it. All eyes turned to Clint but...

"I will." The voice of Maria Hill said.

"Agent Hill?" Clint asked. She was the last person he wanted to see.

"Fury made me stay up here. I'll stay on the jet with Fern. You lot bring back the others." Maria said.

"Who's Fern?" Clint asked.

"Me, I'm her daughter." A girl who looked just like Maria Hill said, stepping out of the shadows. Not that Clint could see, he was still flying the plane.

"Ok, Clint we are going to need a... distraction. Get closer and see if you can get an arrow to disable the cameras and then blow something up. Hill can you pilot the plane?" Steve asked

"Which one?" Maria said

"Err which ever. Can I call Fern, Fern?" Steve said

"If it's easier. We're still coming up with a code name. I'll pilot." Flic sat in the pilots seat and flew closer. Clint got an arrow to disable the systems. Everyone on the base ran to try to get the systems working again. Steve said as the door opened,

"Weapons, ready, go! Everyone. Split up and remember everything. Comms on. Jump!"

**A/N Lilly does actually really need a codename. If you can think of one can you review or PM me? Thanks in advance. Please review!**


	19. More Torture

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Nineteen- More Torture

ENEMY BASE SOMEPLACE OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN- BANNER ROOM

"Welcome, Elizabeth and Lilly, to your own personal torture." A voice, full of malice said.

"Lils, just keep still until we work out what's happening." They both froze and spotted a massive, green hand advancing toward them. Lilly dodged it just in time. That triggered a load more. Lilly and Betty kept dodging and dodging for about five minutes, sometimes getting clipped by the edge of a hand, other times getting completely hit but mainly dodging them. After five minutes, it stopped and Betty ran over to Lilly, who was crying.

"Lilly, Lilly! What's wrong, darling?" She asked.

"It's just, d-dad and L-Lewis have g-green hands when t-they are the other g-guy." She checked. Betty hadn't made that connection. They had done it on purpose, it was designed to unhinge them.

"Lils, it's not them. Calm down and get ready, I think it might start again soon." The prickles on the back of her neck seemed to spike, as if someone was getting closer.

"Mum just in case, you know, we d-die. I love you." A fifteen year old girl shouldn't have to say that. No one under at least thirty should have to think about dying, Betty thought.

"I love you too. But we can't think like that, ok? You are going to live, just like I am." Lilly continued crying and around five minutes after it stopped, the punching started again. It carried on like this, Lilly and Betty got more and more tired which ended in the hand getting more and more hits. Lilly went out with a blow to the head so Betty proped her up in a corner and used her remaining energy to shield her.

ENEMY BASE SOMEPLACE OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN- BARTON ROOM

"Welcome, Natalia and Yekaterina, to your own personal torture." A voice, full of malice said.

"Mum what is happening?" Katya asked.

"I'm sorry, Kat, I don't know, but I will protect you no matter what." An arrow then sliced the edge of Natasha's leg. Blood poured out as Natasha put her hand to it. a second arrow they both dodged. That brought on half a dozen arrows. Natasha realized where they we're coming from and said,

"Kat, come here." Katya went to Natasha who turned her around and put her arms round her. It is difficult to describe but Natasha became a shield. The arrows sliced her arms and legs but none hit Katya. After half an hour, Lee and the guy who was not Lee came back and the arrows stopped. Lee's jaw dropped. He knew the redhead wanted to protect her daughter, he didn't know that it was this bad. Natasha had passed out over Katya and as Katya got up she fell to the floor.

"I don't c-care what y-you do, just don't h-hurt her." She said holding her fists up weakly to the two and then turning to sob over Natasha who was lying in a small pool of blood.

"You two are coming with us." The guy who was not Lee said. He slung Natasha over his shoulder and Lee picked up Katya.

"It's going to be all right," He whispered, "You _are_ going to be ok." He didn't mention Natasha. They were led to a completely white room. The floor and walls were made of spongy material. It was very bright and Natasha was gently set down in the centre of the room.

"Have fun." The guy who was not Lee said.

'I'm sorry' The guy who was Lee mouthed. Katya looked back at Natasha. She knew why the floor was spongy now. Natasha's blood was spreading. Katya tore off both of their shirts and pressed them against the wounds. It half worked. She heard Natasha's breathing hitch and screamed.

ENEMY BASE SOMEPLACE OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN- ROGERS ROOM

"Welcome, Margret III and Alice, to your own personal torture." A voice, full of malice said.

"Alice, stay calm, baby. I'll protect you." Peggy said and Alice looked at her, as if to question if she was really going to be safe.

"Just don't die and I'll be ok." Alice sniffed, hoping that she sounded braver than she felt.

"I'll try not to." That really filled Alice with hope.

"What's going to happen? She was really worried. Suddenly the room was filled with mist. She shivered.

"Come here, baby." Peggy whispered. It was getting really cold. They pulled each other in to a hug. Suddenly, Peggy let go. "Ice." She whispered, appearing to realise something.

"Wait, what?" Alice was more than confused.

"Ice. Steve. Grandma. World War II. Hydra. Tesseract. Plane. Crash. Ocean. Ice." More and more confused.

"Mum, what do you mean?" Peggy then just snapped out of it.

"You've heard about Captain America, right?" Alice nodded then shivered. It appeared to be getting even colder, if that . "How he was stuck in the ice for seventy years?"

"During World War II." Alice only knew because her best friend was obsessed with him.

"He was going out with my grandma when he put it in the ice. Then, seventy years later, he started going out with me." The realisation hit Alice. She was related to Captain freakin' America!

"Dad's Captain America, isn't he?" Peggy nodded. "Why don't you tell me these things?" Peggy didn't have an answer. Suddenly, the cold got worse. Alice shook and went to sit next to her mother. "Y-you should h-have t-told me." Great, now her teeth were chattering.

"I'm sorry." Peggy whispered and closed her eyes. Alice prepared herself for a slow, cold death.

ENEMY BASESOMEPLACE OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN- STARK ROOM

"Welcome, Virginia and Ella, to your own personal torture." A voice, full of malice said.

"What's happening, mum?" Ella asked, really, really worried.

"I don't know." Pepper replied. She pulled Ella in to a hug and they sat down in a corner together. Suddenly a voice came on the speakers which appeared to be in the ceiling.

"I hate you Pepper. Why are you even here?" Pepper screamed very loudly. Ella didn't know what had caused it, or how to stop her mum from screaming. The voice then turned on her. "Ella... I hate you, too. Why were you even born? You were and are just a pain-" Pepper screamed once again. Then Ella realized who the voice belonged to. The next time, she listened to the voice very carefully and heard that it was disjointed, the tone changing with each word, that they were clips put together, designed to unhinge them.

"MUM SHUT UP!" Ella shouted and surprisingly, Pepper stopped screaming. "Don't scream, it'll just make it worse. It's put together, listen."

"Pepper!" He exclaimed with happiness, "I WANT TO KILL YOU!" There he was shouting at someone.

"He would never do something like that, mum. Just block it out. Dad, Joe, Ethan, Clint, Lewis, Bruce, Steve... Thor, Blaze. They'll all come and save us, just like you said." Pepper buried her head in to Ella's chest and sobbed. Ella put her hands over Pepper's ears, knowing that she needed it a lot more than herself. Ella was fine, her young ears picking up every cut and paste. Pepper felt terrible, she should be comforting her daughter, not the other way around. Her husband had just told her that he hated her, and even if it was an edited recording, it was not something that was going to come out of her head very easily.

ENEMY BASE SOMEPLACE OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN- ODINSON ROOM

"Welcome, Jane, to your own personal torture." A voice, full of malice said. Jane wasn't too scared, just wondered exactly why she was chained to a wall.

"God help me." She whispered and she meant it literally. She hadn't said it in so many years, every time she had Thor had made an stupid comment like 'At your service, Lady Jane' But now, she wanted him to be there, to save her, to hold her, just anywhere away from that room. Suddenly a light flashed in front of her. It crackles and sparked before disappearing and reappearing somewhere else. She realised that her damage would be psychological.

Jane wanted to curl up into a ball, shield herself from the lightening. That's what the shackles were for. Every strike physically pained her, some made her cry out, for Thor, for Blaze. And although she called for him she wanted Blaze to stay as far away from the prison as possible, it wouldn't do either of them any good. Thor, however, would see that she was in pain and get her out of there, then, once they were far, far away, break down and cry. Not many people had seen a Norse God cry, and believe me, it's not something you want to experience. Jane had no idea how she thought all that before blacking out, but she did. Time didn't seem to matter in that room, it could have been five minutes or fifty five. She did black out though, hanging from the wall in iron shackles.


	20. Found

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Twenty- Found

ENEMY BASE SOMEPLACE OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN

As soon as Clint Barton's feet touched the floor, he grabbed Ethan's hand and ran. They both had weapons at the ready and used stealth to sneak around the base. They looked in every room they came across, nothing. Not one person. Some ways good some ways bad. Clint memorized the way they had came, so they could get back. As Clint was about to turn back he came across a corridor with flashing red lights above the doors and names across the doors. BARTON would be the one which was not on. He unlocked that one first and went in, "Tash? Katya?" He whispered. There was no reply. Sighing, he went back out and into the room next to it which said BANNER.

"Please don't hurt her." Betty Banner said faintly.

"Hill found the Banners. Might have found everyone else but Widow and Arrow. Send the others to my location if you can." Clint said in to his comm, "Come on, do you need help?" Clint asked Lilly and Betty. They were too drained to reply. "I'm going to take you back to a jet which will bring you home." He led them out of the room and almost straight in to Bruce and Lewis. Clint gave him a look which plainly said, 'Do you want to take them back?' Bruce nodded and walked off with Lewis, each carrying a girl. He decided to go in to ROGERS next, because he couldn't bear the thought of Alice getting hurt.

As soon as he walked in he heard a faint, "Steve?.." and a forcefull yet weak,

"Please let her wake up, please. I want daddy and I want mummy." Clint was about to say something when the little girl hugged him and said, "Please get daddy, I know you can." Clint immediately said into his comm,

"Captain America, I need you to find me. I have Agent Carter and Lady America." The little girl released him and said, "Thank you." Then ran past him and hugged a certain Star Spangled man.

"Thanks," The Captain mouthed at Clint, "Al, let Hawkeye carry you. I'll get Agent Carter. Hawkeye, do you know the way out of here?"

"Yes follow me." Captain America scooped up Agent Carter in his arms and Hawkeye put Lady America on his back. They backed out of the room and didn't find anyone on their way back. While they were depositing Alice and Peggy on the jet, they saw that only Betty and Lilly had also been brought back.

"Blue, Cap, I think we should stick together and go back to that corridor." Clint said and Blue Bullet and Captain America nodded. The three of them jumped back down and ran down toward that corridor. While they were running Hill said on the comm, "Banners, Americas and Jane are back. Find Widow Arrow and Irons. They practically ran into Tony and Joe walking with Pepper and Ella. Ethan ran up and kissed Ella. "Do you want to swap?" Joe grumbled and Ethan looked at Clint who nodded.

"Sure, just find my mum and little sister." Ethan said and went to help Ella.

"I will. Jarv, fly." Iron Boy flew behind the running Hawkeye and Captain. They pushed every single door open, only to find the same thing, nothing.

"Jarv, can you find Katya, please." Iron Boy called out as a desperate last attempt.

"Katya Barton is located three doors down, on the left." J.A.R.V.I.S. replied. Clint sprinted down there and burst the door open.

"Please don't- DAD! You have to help, mum's dying." Katya cried. Clint checked Natasha's pulse. Her heart was barely beating. Clint started to perform CPR and once Natasha's heart was almost ok, he carried her out of the room and ran the way they had come. Iron Boy handed Katya a bow but still carried her. They made it back to Stark's jet where Clint gave Natasha some more CPR and did not stop.

"Hawkeye, we need to get in there and kill whoever took them." Captain America said, upon seeing Clint performing CPR.

"Can't-must-keep-Tash-alive." Clint spoke in between breathing in to the Black Widow's mouth.

"I know but Amber Arrow wants to come, did you bring one of the Black Widow's suits?" He didn't know how Clint would react. His wife had pretty much been taken by this guy, so he would probably want to kill him. Then again, he might not want to let his daughter do it

"I'm not letting her go, She's not fit enough, I won't let her. She's almost dead. Nat's breathing on her own." Clint looked shocked at the fact. The breaths were raspy, almost not there, but they were there.

"Blue Bullet, Thor, Blaze, Iron Man, Iron Boy, Iron Girl, Hulk, Hulk Junior and I are going. Amber Arrow really wants to go." Steve informed him, growing impatient.

"Dad, please let me go. I'm fine, mum shielded me." Clint assessed his daughter and saw that she really was fine.

"Go Kat, go. Here's a suit. Just do something for me." He threw a suit at her.

"What?" She asked.

"Stay alive." Katya smiled at his words but took them seriously and got changed.

"Hill, can you stay and keep doing CPR on Widow? She's going to kill me if Katya gets hurt." Maria nodded. Clint made his way to the door of the aircraft where all the others stood. They were saying their good byes.

Steve hugged Peggy and Alice, who whispered, "Please come back, daddy. I need you."

Tony, Joe and Ella all had their faceplates up and were promising Pepper that they would come back. Pepper was crying. Blaze stood by Thor, who was rubbing Jane's hand. She was still unconscious. Bruce was promising Betty that the hulk was invincible, he and Lewis would not die. Ethan stood convincing Katya that their mother would not die. She was not convinced.

"Dad? Are you coming?" Katya asked seeing Clint.

"Yes, and she will survive, one she is stubborn and two, I wouldn't have left her if she wasn't." Clint said even though he himself was not convinced.

"Right, I think we should go now. Everyone, we WILL come back." Captain said.

"Code names on. Katya is Amber Arrow, Ethan is Blue Bullet, Thor and Blaze are Thor and Blaze, Lewis is Hulk J, Joe and Ella are Iron Boy and Iron Girl, Clint is Hawkeye, Bruce is the Hulk, Tony is Iron Man and I'm Captain America. We get on the ship, go to the control room kill the man who will probably be standing in Fury's place. It's definitely a man. We get in there get him and get out. Comms on. Jump!" Iron Boy, Girl and Man flew out of the jet and the rest jumped. They smashed through the door and saw one man standing there. Captain identified it as the target.

"Ahh, Avengers and Revengers. I've been expecting you." He chuckled and Hawkeye said,

"Cap, who the hell are the Revengers?"

"Its what Fury called your kids, hurry up and kill him though." The voice of Maria Hill said. Cap said in reply,

"Hulk, Smash." and both hulks grabbed him as one and hit him against the floor. After a minute they stopped and Clint put an arrow through his eye and one through his heart. "Come on guys, let's go back and get home." Captain America said. Iron Boy grabbed Amber Arrow and flew up to the opening, Iron Girl grabbed Blue Bullet and flew up, Thor grabbed Blaze, Iron Man grabbed Bruce, who had shrunk back to his normal size and Lewis, who had also shrunk back to his normal size, said to Hawkeye,

"How are we meant to get up there?" Hawkeye smiled and shot a grappling arrow, grabbing the end and Lewis. He shortened the rope and they both jumped aboard the jet. Hawkeye then shot six explosive arrows at the helicarrier which was not a helicarrier and exploded them. He shut the door and ran back to Natasha.

"Fern go," The Captain said, "Go back to S.H.I.E.L.D. we need their medical." Clint got back to where Natasha was and said,

"Tasha stay alive for me, for Katya, for Ethan. You can do this." Maria signaled for everyone else to leave, she knew Clint wanted privacy. He tried to find her pulse and found her heart fluttering. He remained pumping her heart and breathing for her until they got back to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Meanwhile in the other room, Jane was still unconscious and Thor and Blaze were sitting beside her. Ella and Ethan were crying into each others shoulders, Katya crying into Joe's. Pepper was telling Tony off for making Ella and Joe their own Iron suits and Tony was trying to give her a kiss. Steve was dressing and cleaning Alice's wounds. She was still surprisingly chirpy. though angry at her father for not telling her about the Captain America thing. Peggy was half awake and Steve kept her talking. Bruce was telling Betty that it was real and she was never going back. Technically, she couldn't, Clint had made sure of that. Lilly and Lewis were having a normal conversation. Maria was co-piloting the plane while her daughter was driving it.

"Ave- You lot. Incoming call from Fury. He's going on loudspeaker." Maria said through the speakers.

"Avengers." A woman's voice said through the speakers

"You're-not-Fury-and-don't-call-us-that." Clint said punctuating every word with a compression in to Natasha's chest.

"You are. Don't fight it. And I'm Steph. Nick's daughter. He told me to talk to you, he's coming in a sec. Who's on that jet? I want everyone." She replied, sounding professional.

"Steve Rogers, Peggy Rogers, Alice Rogers, Tony Stark, Pepper Stark, Ella Stark, Joe Stark, Katya Barton, Ethan Barton, Clint Barton, Natasha Barton, Bruce Banner, Betty Banner, Lewis Banner, Lilly Banner, Thor Odinson, Jane Odinson, Blaze Odinson, Maria Hill and Fern Hill." Steve told her hoping he had everyone.

"You know that we are not Hill anymore." Maria whispered, seeming to want to keep it a secret.

"I know. Fern is my best friend, practically my sister." Steph replied.

"Stephanie, what are you doing?" The voice of Nick Fury asked on the other side of the line.

"Errrrmmm... Talking to the Avengers." She said, thinking it was best to tell the truth.

"STEPHANIE!" He exclaimed as Tony muttered,

"I take it she wasn't supposed to be talking to us. Is this a good time to mention that a 14ish year old is driving our plane?"

"What? Oh gosh. Maria are you sure Fern can drive this plane?" Steve seemed genuinely worried.

"No, she's only done training to." Maria replied.

"HILL! I'm coming to pilot." Off Steve went.

"Avengers. You are Avengers again now. Are all of you and your families ok?" Nick seemed worried.

"Ye-no. Jane is still unconscious and Clint is still doing CPR on Natasha. The others are all a little shocked but ok." Tony said as Steve now needed to focus on driving the jet.

"Natasha?" Fury whispered, in disbelief.

"You-need-to-have-a medical-team-at SHIELD-ready-she's-been-cut-and-lost-a lot-of blood." Clint said, breathing for Natasha. "Her-heart-is fluttering-have-a-medical-team-ready-and-don't-you -dare-let-her-die-don't-you-dare."

"I won't Barton. You two were my best agents for a fair few years. I probably owe you something. The rest of you are needed for a debriefing before you can go." Fury told him. They may of left him, but they had done so much. He had to save Natasha.

"What base, Sir?" Steve asked.

"Drop the Sir. And New York has the best medical team and is the nearest but I doubt you want to go back there." Fury guessed incorrectly. All of them secretly wanted to go back there and become friends again.

"Go-to-there-Steve. Tasha-needs-to-live." Clint ordered him.

"I'm there anyway. I'll get the medical team ready." Fury said.

"Stark do you still own that tower?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, we can all crash there." Tony smiled at the idea, even if it was only for one night. "We'll be there in 10, Sir." Steve told him.

"Drop the-" Nick began.

"Nick." Steve smiled.

"Come in Steph, lets leave these poor people in peace." Fury said to his daughter on the other side of the line.

"But I never talked to Fe-" Steph started to whine.

"No. Bye, Avengers see you in 10." He turned off the call.

"Guys, we are still not Avengers. Nothing will ever bring us back together and everything." Bruce said.

"You still remember that?" Tony asked.

"Yes. And obviously you do." Bruce told him.

"I think some thing will bring you guys back together. Later or sooner." Pepper said believing she was correct. The Avengers all did want to get back together, with the possible exception of Clint and Natasha, and didn't want to admit it. They squabbled about it all the way back to S.H.I.E.L.D. base.


	21. Please don't die

**A/N I posses no medical knowledge so this is probably very wrong. I'm sorry. It fits the story. Also sorry for not updating in ages. Hopefully the length makes up for that. Over 3000 words. YAY! Thanks for reviewing, following and favouriting as always.**

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Twenty One- Please don't die

S.H.I.E.L.D. BASE NEW YORK

At base, as promised, Fury had a medical team ready. However, they were not expecting Natasha to be that bad. She was bleeding a lot. A blood transfusion and a few stitches would fix it.

"What blood type is she?" A medic shouted.

"AB." Fury shouted, "What? I read her file this morning."

"We _told_ you to delete them. I can't donate. We are not the same type. Coulson used to do it. Where is he when you need him?" Clint joked even though it was a serious time.

"Here. And I'll donate, I've done it for her before." Phil Coulson said.

"Thanks Phil. PHIL!" Clint exclaimed.

"Coulson, what you're back?" Tony said.

"Guys we need to save Natasha." Maria said. The medics took Natasha and Phil. The others went with Fury to breifing room eight. Once inside Clint began to put up a fight.

"No. Why am I here?" He said, "Tasha might die. What if she wakes up? I need to be there."

"Go, Barton, just go. But they won't let you in so go to the waiting room. Medic room two. I'll trust you to find it." Fury told him. There was no way that he was going to get any sense out of Clint while Natasha was out.

"See you." Clint's voice began to crack. "Kat, Ethan be good. Guys, look after them." Clint ran down the hallway. Once he got to the waiting room of Natasha's medic area and plonked himself down on a seat to then realize that there was someone sitting next to him.

"Phil?" He asked, "Is it truly you?"

"Clint, yes it is." Phil Coulson replied.

"Phil, you died eighteen years ago. Don't play games with me, I'm already crazy." Clint couldn't believe it.

"I'm real. I never died. Loki stabbed me and S.H.I.E.L.D. patched me up. It took two years and then they were going to tell you. They didn't tell you before because they didn't want to get your hopes up. I almost died. But I was going to be there when you got back from that mission you never went on." He really was. It was going to be a big surprise, for all the Avengers. The exact two year anniversary of his death, it would be revealed that he was alive.

"Did you give enough blood?" Clint was back to worrying about Natasha.

"Of course. Clint, she _will_ be ok." Phil was already back to his role as comforter when the other half of the pair of Assassins was in pain.

"But what if she isn't? What do I tell Ethan and Katya? They were both crying on the jet. Both of them. Kat is sure she isn't going to make it and she blames it entirely on herself. She has already said 'Mum is dying because she protected me.' What if-" Clint was getting worked up. However, he had a good reason to be.

"Clint I have a daughter too. Every time Fury makes me do or oversee a mission, these thoughts run through my mind. What if I never come back? What will Maria tell her? What if-"

"WHAT? Maria Hill? _Fern?!_" Clint couldn't believe that.

"Yes Clint, don't be that surprised. We were already going out before the Avengers." They had been, for about one week. Clint thought that it would amount to nothing and Natasha didn't even know about it. Clint only knew because he had been overseeing project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. which they had both been working on.

"She knew didn't she? She knew you were alive." Clint hated Maria at that moment.

"Yeah. I'm sorry Clint." He was truly sorry, but he didn't tell them as he didn't want their hopes to get up, in case he did die.

"It's ok, I suppose. Wait, what are they doing to Tasha?" Back to worrying about Natasha.

"I think they are pumping the blood back in to her but we can go check if you want." Phil replied.

"Can you?" Clint asked. When he had been with S.H.I.E.L.D. the only person who could do that was Fury.

"I'm practically Fury's joint second-in-command. He doesn't have an official one. You and Natasha are legends here." The two of them made their way down to medic two.

As Clint suspected they were not allowed in but a man said, "She has about an hour left before you can see her. We have stitched up all but one of the wounds and are currently pumping the blood in." The two agents sat down in the waiting area again.

"So, Clint, Tell me about your kids." Phil asked, trying to make a bit of conversation and take Clint's mind off Natasha.

"The oldest is called Ethan, he is sixteen. Ethan is mainly like Tasha in personality but is like me in looks. Katya is twelve and her real name is Yekaterina. It's a fairly even split but she likes archery. What about Fern?" Clint asked, knowing what Phil was trying to do, and knowing that it wasn't going to work.

"Looks just like Maria but has my eyes. Like Maria in all the other ways as well. Except being bad at handing paper work in on time. She is good at that, like me." The next hour passed quickly for Clint and Phil, who were catching up. They almost missed it when a medic said,

"Anyone here for Natasha Romanoff?" Clint jumped up and followed him, Phil trailing behind. They were led to the recovery room but before they entered it he said, "She's not awake yet, but should wake up in the next twenty-four hours. We have put her on life support, just until she wakes."

"So she definitely will?" Phil asked. Clint mentally thanked him sarcastically, he had put doubts in his mind.

"85% certain." Clint shook his head and went inside.

"Tasha, oh Tasha," He whispered, "Why? You better wake up, honey, Kat blames it all on herself and she will never forgive herself but if you wake up, she might. Also Phil's back and you have to see him one last time."

"Dad, mum will wake up, won't she?" Ethan asked. Clint looked around. Only Ethan, Katya and the Director were in the room.

"85% certain."

"I-I am sorry. Please wake up mum. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Please just wake up, mum." Clint couldn't take seeing his kids thinking that Natasha was going to die.

"Get them out of here!" Clint whispered to the director, "And don't let any of the other kids in here either." The director took, well dragged, Ethan and Katya out of the room, just as Pepper entered.

"Oh my God." Pepper whispered upon seeing Natasha. "Clint are you ok?"

"No, Pepper. No I'm not." Clint replied.

"Is there anything I can do? Anything any of us can can do?" Pepper asked, trying to be helpful.

"No. I don't think so. Just look after Ethan and Katya. Make sure they eat, sleep and do stuff. Ethan should be ok, he has your girl. If Kat screams, during the night especially, please bring her to me. I'd owe you forever."

"Of course, Clint. You won't owe me anything."

"Don't let them come back in here, Pepper. Not unless I call you. They don't need to watch her die." Clint had seen his parents die. No kid should ever be put through that.

"Ok. She's not going to die. But you know the other Avengers will come." Phil told him.

"Yeah." Clint replied. He knew they would, and even if he's didn't want, he couldn't stop them.

"Are you going to stay here?"

"Until she wakes or dies." Clint was deadly serious.

"Look after them. Please, Pepper, don't let them die." Pepper shut the door and made her way down the corridor to the waiting room where everyone, and that means all the Avengers, Revengers and the Avengers wives, were waiting.

"How is she?" Steve asked, standing up.

"Can we see her?" Tony asked at the same time. Bruce asked something doctorish that Pepper didn't understand while Thor said,

"Will Lady Natasha live?"

"She's alive." Pepper said, nervously, "She'll probably live. I have no idea whatsoever Bruce and you can see her but not right now. I suggest we go back to the Tower, eat and see if we have enough beds for everyone."

"Whatever you say, Peps. Is Legolas joining us?" Tony asked.

"No." That she was certain of.

"How do we get back to the Tower then? Feathers is the only one who can drive a jet, except from Spidey." Tony didn't think that there was a car big enough for all of them together.

"I can too," Steve said, "Not too well without a co-pilot though."

"Oh well. Come on, let's get back." Tony ruffled Joe's hair as Joe let out a wide yawn. They all walked up to the deck and got on the small jet that got them to the New York base. It was surprising, given its size, that they all fitted comfortably. Once back, Pepper ordered pizza and the adults ate round the massive dining table and kids ate on the floor of the lounge. After they had finished each Avenger took their wife and child(ren) to their floor to sort out sleeping arrangements. Pepper stayed until everyone else had gone and said to Ethan and Katya,

"You can stay on the BlackHawk floor, your parents floor, or you can stay with us on the Iron Man floor. Your dad wants you to stay with us but it's a free choice."

"I want to stay on BlackHawk floor, please." Katya said immediately. She wanted privacy to cry.

"I'd better go with her." Ethan agreed.

"Ok, I'll take you down." Pepper took them to the lift and pressed the button which had a spider and a Hawk on it. "There's only one bed but there is a sofa bed and I have a couple of air matresses up stairs."

"Kat, your on the bed. Can I use an air mattress please?" Ethan asked.

"Of course. The bedroom is first on the right. There is an ensuite but also a toilet on the second left." Pepper walked back in to the lift to fetch an air mattress while the Barton children made their way to the bedroom.

"Why'd you let me have the bed?" Katya asked, "And why didn't you take the sofa bed?"

"You deserve it and I need to sleep in your room. Just in case anyone tries to take you." He told her, worried about her safety.

"Thanks." Katya muttered as Pepper came in. She put down a ready made air mattress and said,

"Ethan, can I talk to you outside for a sec?" Ethan walked it the door and Pepper whispered, "Ethan, she probably will have nightmares. If she screams, cries or wakes up sweating or something, tell J.A.R.V.I.S. to wake me up and come down here. Ok?" Pepper asked and Ethan nodded. "Same if you do." Pepper pushed the door back open and said, "I'm going to leave you now. If you need something, ask me or J." She left as Katya yanked open a draw in the dresser. She took one of her dad's shirts and a pair of her mum's old shorts and put them on in the bathroom. When she came back out, Ethan had found some of his dad's pyjamas and put them on. They were very tired by this time and Katya was out before her head hit the pillow. Ethan was out soon after.

AMERICA FLOOR

"Mummy, daddy can I sleep in your bed tonight?" Alice said while in the lift. She was only nine years old, a small nine year old at that.

"Sure, baby. The bed on my floor is certainly big enough." Steve replied. His floor was exactly how he left it, except that someone had dusted and washed up. He took both of them to the bedroom and continued, "I don't have any clothes for you, we can get some tomorrow and Peggy, you can probably use Pepper's but Alice-"

"I'm already wearing pyjamas, dad."

"Oh yeah. I'll just go get something for you, Peggy." He walked off and found a nightdress of Pepper's waiting by what you could call the front door. He returned and helped Peggy in to the nightdress whist Alice was in the bathroom. He got changed and crawled under the sheets with the other two. Alice grabbed on to him and whispered, "Never let me go, daddy. I love you."

"I love you too, baby. Go to sleep." She drifted off a little after Peggy and, once she was asleep, Steve pulled her to his chest and fell asleep.

IRON MAN FLOOR

"So, you two will sleep on the floor and I shall sleep on the bed." Tony said stepping of the lift.

"Daad..." Ella whined.

"I'm joking. You and you can have the bed, if you don't mind sharing, and me and mum will use the sofa bed. We'll get some new beds for everyone tomorrow." Tony told her. He couldn't believe that she actually thought that he would go through with that.

"I didn't mean-" Ella tried to take it back.

"No. You will." Tony looked her in the eye and said.

"We don't mind sharing, as long as we get separate quilts because Ella steals it." Joe said while Ella disagreed with his last statement.

"Number one, beds, check. Two, sleepwear." Tony pulled open draws of clothes, finding a dress that looked sleepable in and the right size for Ella. He found a pair of his long shorts with a string waist and gave them to Joe as trousers. At the very back there was a top that Pepper had shrunk which he also gave to him.

"Go to sleep now. I might not be here in the morning, mum might not be either, Jarv is though. Ask him to help you find Steve, Bruce or Thor. Night El. Night Joe."

"Night dad." Tony made his way back and pulled the sofa bed out. Once the bed was made, he collapsed on top of it, fully dressed.

HULK FLOOR

As Bruce pressed the hulk button, he suddenly didn't want to be back.

"Dad, where are we going to sleep?" Lilly asked. She was absolutely fine now except from being so bruised it hurt to walk.

"There are two of those armchair beds, do you two want to sleep on those?"

"Sure. What are we going to wear?" Lewis was wondering what Lilly could wear. He was almost as big as Bruce, so he could wear some of Bruce's PJs, but he was worried about Lilly.

"You can wear something of mine. Lils do you mind wearing boys clothes?"

"No, I'm just so tired." Bruce found some sheets and made up the two beds while Lilly, Betty and Lewis got changed. The two teens climbed in to their beds and once they had said goodnight, so did the adults. Betty and Bruce fell asleep almost immediately however, Lilly and Lewis could not sleep. After half an hour Lewis heard whimpering coming from the other bed. He got up and after falling flat on his face over what he could only assume was a coffee table, he made his way over to Lilly. He sat on the arm of the chair and whispered,

"Lils, I'm her, no one can hurt you." Lilly sat up and in the dark motioned for Lewis to sit next to her.

"Lew, can you just stay here, just in case?" She asked.

"Course Lils, one sec." He got up, switched the light on and dragged his bed next to hers. He switched his pillow to the other end so he could see her. He also kept the light on. "Night Lils."

"Night Lew." They were both asleep in minutes.

THOR FLOOR

"Right. Blaze, we need to find you some PJs." Jane had fully recovered from her torture and was taking control, once again. She pulled out a t-shirt of Thor's and said, "Put that on."

"No." Blaze replied. It took several minutes of coaxing to get Blaze to put it on.

"No one will see you." Jane said as Blaze pulled it over his head. He turned and looked in the mirror only to rip it back off again.

"No. I will sleep in my clothes." He pulled his t-shirt and jeans back on.

"Blaze, you can't sleep in your clothes. It's not good for you."

"Mum I looked like a twat. One night in clothes won't hurt me, will it?"

"Blaze. What do you think all the others are wearing, hey?" Blaze went over to the drawers and found something that was a little more his size. "Is that better?"

"Yeah. What about you?" He asked.

"I'll just use something of your dads or Pepper's... I might actually have something that I wore last time I was here." She ruffled through the draws and found a pair of her shorts. She grabbed one of Thor's tops and made her way to the bathroom, which Thor had just come out of.

"Blaze, son, settle down now. Go to sleep." Thor told him.

"Where?" He asked, assuming that his parents would share the double bed.

"Err... Lady Jane where's Blaze going to sleep?" Jane opened the door and said,

"I'll...err... I'll see if Pepper has an air mattress." She bustled off and found Pepper, who did indeed have an air mattress, in fact she was getting one for Ethan as well. Jane brought it back and made it up Blaze go in and was sound asleep in seconds.

"G'night Thor," Jane whispered, "I love you."

"I will protect you, Lady Jane and I love you too."


	22. The next morning

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Twenty Two- The next morning

The next morning, the Towers inhabitants all woke up differently.

IRON MAN FLOOR

"JOSEPH STARK SHUT UP AND GET OFF ME!" Ella shouted for the third time. Joe had rolled on to her a minute ago and woken her up. She was surprised his heavy snoring hadn't woken her up before, though.

"What El? Where's the burglar?" Joe sat up quickly and saw he was lying on top of Ella. She coughed and he got off.

"God, your heavy Joe." She said, swinging her legs out of bed.

"Sorry. Hey Jarv, what's the time and where are mum and dad?" He asked, mirroring his sister's actions.

"The current time in New York is ten twenty-two am. Mr and Mrs Stark are at S.H.E.I.L.D." J.A.R.V.I.S. replied.

"What the hell is shield? Anyway El-"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. Stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. It is a government operated agency and-" J.A.R.V.I.S. began to say.

"Whatever. Why are mum and dad there?" Ella asked.

"Mr and Mrs Stark are visiting Mrs Barton in the S.H.I.E.L.D. Infirmary." J.A.R.V.I.S. was being very useful that morning, at least on the Iron Man floor.

"Oh, Ethan's mum. What did dad tell us to do Joe?" Ella realised.

"Go to the main floor or summat. Hey Jarv, where's the main floor?"

"The main floor for the Avengers Tower is floor eighty-nine. To get there walk in to the lift and press the button with the big A on it." He was being very, very useful.

"Thanks. Come on El, lets go." They went up to the Avengers floor but there was no one there. They decided to wait it out and see if anyone else came. Sure enough, they soon did.

CAPTAIN AMERICA FLOOR

"Dad geroff!" Alice said. She couldn't escape her father's clutches and he was still lightly snoring.

"DAD!" Alice raised her voice as he almost rolled on to her. From this new position, she could see the clock. It was ten thirty, he never slept this late.

"DAD," she freed her hand and suddenly the grip tightened and snoring shut off, alerting her that he was awake. "Dad, I know you're awake."

"You got me, baby," He let her go and she rolled away. Steve looked at the clock and got out of bed. Let's go get some breakfast with the others." Alice, who was halfway to the door stopped.

"No, not going looking like this." She said, referring to her messed up hair.

"Al, you will be fine. You get used to it. No one is dressed before coffee." He picked her up and carried her to the lift. Her worries, though, were pointless, Ella and Joe were the only ones there, each looking as bad as Alice.

THOR FLOOR

Jane woke up before her two boys. She rolled out of bed and pulled her phone off the bedside table. She thought she was lucky Blaze had thought to bring it. Then she saw 58 texts and 34 missed calls, mainly from Darcy. She decided it she had better call her.

"Hey it's me, Darcy," Jane was about to say hi but then it continued, "I can't get to you right now but if you leave a message, I'll probably call you back. If you're lucky."

"Hey Darce, you called me like 40 times, I didn't have my phone, sorry! I'm fine as are Blaze and Thor. Call me when you can and I will try to pick up. Bye then." Just before she could hit exit Darcy's voice came back.

"Wait. Why'd ya call me so early?" She asked.

"Darce! It's nine thirty, that's not early!" Jane knew that Darcy normally slept in late but not this late!

"It's six thirty, which is early. Where are you anyway?" Jane had forgotten to account for the time difference.

"Err... New York..." She replied, slowly.

"Why? I've never been there. You have to take me next time!" Darcy whined. Many years ago Jane had began to compare her to the younger sister that she'd never had.

"I think we might be staying awhile actually." Jane told her.

"Not fairrr..." Darcy complained.

"Bye Darcy gotta go." She didn't but didn't want to talk to Darcy anymore.

"Bye?" Jane put the phone down and lay back in bed. Thor woke an entire hour later, in which Jane had fallen asleep. Thor was now faced with a problem. If he got out one side, he would wake Blaze, the other Jane. He decided to get out Jane side as she was easier to deal with in the mornings. That woke Jane up but she was ok with it. They talked for another half hour until Blaze woke up. They all went down to the Avengers floor together.

HULK FLOOR

"How sweet, Lewis dragged his bed over to help protect Lilly." Bruce whispered to Betty as the two of them entered the living area of Hulk floor.

"Do you think we should let them sleep?" Betty asked and Bruce replied with a small nod. They sat down on the sofa just as Lewis opened his eyes. He sat up and saw Bruce and Betty looking at him. He never intended them to know that he wanted to protect Lilly, but he hoped they thought he was just being a protective older brother. Which he was being, minus the older bit, he just never showed he cared before.

"Lewis it's ok, you were just being the protective younger brother." Bruce always forgot that Lewis hated being called the youngest. It was a painful reminder that Lilly was older than him, just by nine minuets, but she used this to her advantage often. As if on cue, Lilly woke up. 'Where am I?' Was her immediate thought but she then remembered that she was at the Tower, with the other avengers.

"Lewis?" She said sitting up.

"Hi Lils." Lewis replied and then jerked his head towards their parents.

"Do you want to go get breakfast with the others?" Bruce asked.

"Sure dad. I look horrible but who cares. Lets go down." The four of them went up to the Avengers floor.

BLACKHAWK FLOOR

Katya screamed. Ethan was a light sleeper so woke up immediately.

"Kat wake up, Kat it's not real. KAT!" Ethan was terrified he was going to lose his sister as well as his mum. He looked at the clock which showed 7:32AM. He decided it was not too early to alert Pepper so called out "J? Jarvis?"

"Yes Mr Barton?" The male voice said.

"Can you ask Mrs Stark to come here, please." Once the AI told him it was done he turned his full attention back to Katya, who was still screaming, a little quieter, though. "Kat, shush, it's ok, I'm here. I'll never let anybody hurt you." As soon as Ethan whispered that last sentence that screaming became louder once more. The door opened and Pepper ran in.

"Are you ok?" She asked Ethan straight off, who nodded in response. After a couple more tense minuets, Pepper was able to stop Katya screaming and wake her up. Pepper rushed off to get dressed leaving Ethan to hold Katya close and tell her it wasn't real.

Once Pepper came back, they got in a car, Ethan and Katya still in their borrowed PJs, and drove to S.H.I.E.L.D. They met the director upon arrival, who informed them Natasha hadn't moved, but did not meet anyone else until they got outside Medic Room 2. Pepper knocked on the door and Clint opened it.

"Come here, Kat," He whispered, stepping outside. He mouthed 'thanks' at Pepper as she slipped in side the door. Katya let Clint hug her and then pulled him tighter, attempting to hide the tears which had begun to stream down her face. 'What happened?' Clint mouthed at Ethan who shrugged and mouthed back, 'Bad dream.'

"Kat, don't worry," Clint soothed, "I'm here."

"Is she going to live, dad?" Ethan asked. Clint replied with a nod towards the door. Ethan took that as an invitation to go in. Once inside, it was the same as yesterday, bright white walls, floor, sheets, everything. He walked the opposite side to, and completely ignoring, Pepper. "Mum, wake up. I need you, Kat needs you, dad needs you. Just wake up and do it soon." Ethan left the room again to find that his dad and sister were gone, a balding man in their place.

"So you are Ethan," He began, "I'm Phil."

"Hi. Where's Kat and dad?" Ethan asked, worried.

"Next door. Whose in there?" He asked, pointing to medic room 2.

"Mum and Pepper. Goodbye Phil." Ethan strode past him in to the room on the right. Thankfully, it was the right next door and Clint and Katya were in there, both crying.

"What did you tell her?" Ethan asked.

"Nothing." Clint said and his eyes conveyed the message; but I'll tell you something later.

"D-dad can I see her?" Katya asked.

"No, sweetie. You can't. No." Clint would not let her go through that again.

"Kat, you can't. She's just the same as yesterday, anyway." Ethan told her. It was the truth, anyways.

"O-ok..." She replied, knowing that there was no way she could win that argument.

"Sweetie I'm sorry." Phil walked in to the room and Clint continued, "You stay with Phil, sweetie, I need to tell Ethan something outside." He took Ethan in to the corridor and told him, "E, her chances have dipped to 75%. They said that the chance will probably dip 10% a day. I know your going to ask why Kat can't see her. She's just a little girl. She can't see or know that her mum is probably going to die."

"Oh yeah. I suppose. WAIT, WHAT? Mums going to d-die." He realised and tears began to fall down his face.

"P-probably... Don't tell Katya." They headed back inside where Phil was trying to get through to Katya. It wasn't working.


	23. Four Days Later

**A/N So I went to see Thor The Dark World today. Let's just say it was freakin' amazing! Still know nothing medicalish so this is probably all wrong from a doctors point of view but it fits with the story so deal with it. Not long left now, thanks for sticking with it! R&R!**

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Twenty Three- Four days later

FOUR DAYS LATER S.H.I.E.L.D. INFIRMARY

"I'm sorry, Mr Barton. Her chances have dipped if we keep her on life support any longer, Mrs Barton may never wake. If we take her off, her chances of surviving are heightened for a certain amount of time but she still may die." A medic said to Clint, hoping Clint didn't have a knife.

"Do anything you can to make her live. Please can you wait to take her off though, I want to give everyone a chance to say g-goodbye." Clint replied, trying to hold in tears.

"Of course, Mr Barton. Just tell me when your ready." Clint gave him a nod and stepped outside the room to call Pepper.

"Hi Clint." Pepper sighed. She knew if Clint was calling it would either be very good or very bad news.

"Pepper bring Kat and Ethan over. And anyone else who wants people say g-goodbye. They're taking her off life support. When you finished tell one of the doctors they can do it. Look after my kids, Pepper." He told her, refusing to let himself break down.

"Where are you going to be, Clint?" If she was going to look after his kids, where would he be?

"I'll be around the base. I can't let them see me like this." He replied.

"Clint... come back to the Tower when you feel ready. Ethan and Katya, they need someone they can fully trust to help them through this." Pepper gave it as a request, rather than an order.

"I'll come back when you lot go back, when Tasha's dead. Bye Pepper." Pepper gasped. Was it really that certain that Natasha was going to die?

After cutting off Pepper, Clint went back inside Natasha's room. "Goodbye Tash," He whispered, "You were the best friend, partner, assassin, wife, mother, and anything and everything else anyone could ask for. Tash. I will miss you everyday, as will Kat and Ethan, but I promise I will try to be there for them and move on, just like you would have told me to. Goodbye Natasha Romanoff, I love you." Clint bent down and kissed her then exited the room. Somewhere else in the base, Director Fury saved the tape of the surveillance camera of Medic Room 2 to his personal files. Perhaps he was too busy doing that to notice where Clint had gone.

Less than 10 minuets later, Bruce, Betty, Lilly, Lewis, Ethan, Katya, Thor, Jane, Blaze, Steve, Peggy, Alice, Tony, Pepper, Ella and Joe pulled up outside. They rushed to the medic bit and then had to channel the only six visitors at a time rule. Thor, Jane, Blaze, Steve, Peggy, and Alice went in first. Blaze, Alice and Peggy didn't know Natasha at all, so stood off to the side. Jane had met her on the nights she stayed at the tower which, added together, was ten. She stood off too, and let the boys say goodbye.

"Lady Natasha," Thor began, "I don't know where to begin. You are a brave warrior, worthy of Asgard, and it was a treat working with you. You shall be sorely missed among the Midgardians. Goodbye Lady Natasha."

"Natasha," Steve couldn't believe he was saying this, "You need to live but just incase you don't here's my little speech for you. You sacrificed a lot, came along way from the red room. I hope that the Avengers helped you, that the years with Clint helped you. It was an honour serving with you, Ma'am." He exited the room and the others followed suit. Next up was Bruce and family. Lilly and Betty stood off to the side this time.

"Natasha, I'm sorry. I never said thank you for having me so here it is. Thanks for having me to stay even if it was just that one night. I'm sorry you had to go like this. Goodbye, Natasha." Lewis spoke solemnly.

"Natasha Romanoff. I don't know where to start. I almost killed you on the helicarrier, yet you still trusted me afterwards. You recruited me for this mess and I'm glad you did. You brought me in to this, you can't take off now. Goodbye Natasha, I hope there are lots of bad guys for you to take out in the afterlife." They silently trooped out of the room. Pepper decided that the Starks, including herself, would go in first and when they came out they would give Ethan and Katya a little private time.

"Natasha, you were a good friend, didn't laugh at my jokes, had a good understanding of and knew how to use sarcasm and much much more. You were, and still are, fiercely protective of Clint. I don't think he would make a week without you, which is why you have to live. In the meantime though, since your not awake to hurt me, so long Natashalie, Spidey, Itsy-Bitsy-Spider and anything else I've ever called you." Tony said and stepped back, almost crying. Over Natasha. He couldn't believe himself.

"Natasha. It was just us two girls in the Tower for a long time and I know that I hated you when we first met but, you grew on me. You're my best friend, Natasha, even after all this time. Stay alive. but goodbye for now." Once outside the room she asked a medic how long it would take.

"After an hour, there is no hope." He replied so Pepper told him to start it. He did and Ethan and Katya went in. Neither of them said anything for a while. After ten minutes, Ethan spoke.

"Mum, you better wake up," He said, "Many reasons but one is that dad sucks at being a single parent." Katya nodded.

"Just wake up, please, mum. I'm sorry." Katya said.

"K-Kat.." Natasha whispered.

"Yeah mum... I'm here." Katya said, crying happy tears. Natasha's eyes flew open as she sat up. "MUM!" Katya and Ethan both cried.

"Where the heck am I?" Natasha asked, trying to sit up. And failing.

"Shield medical or something." Ethan replied, having no clue at all where they actually were and not caring either. His mother was practically just back from the dead, so you couldn't blame him.

"Oh God. I hate it here." She cast her eyes downwards.

"Why? It seems nice enough." Katya asked, innocently.

"Because... I... err... I only came here after I'd been shot." She told her, hoping that Katya would remember their conversation about helicarriers and S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Oh."

"Where's dad?" Natasha asked, knowing if Clint wasn't there, he would be beating himself up somewhere.

"I don't know. Pepper talked to him, said they were taking you off life support and to come say bye. He wasn't here when we got here." Ethan said.

"Let's go find him then." She ripped out the heart monitor and other tubes connected to her.

"Mum I don't think you should-" Natasha stood up and fell back down again.

"Ok. Go tell the others I'm ok and they have to find Clint. Now!" Katya and Ethan rushed out of the room, smiling. Ethan said to everyone who was outside,

"She's awake!" Fourteen pairs of eyes widened. Then fourteen mouths smiled.

"But she says You have to find dad, quickly." Katya said, urgently.

So Steve, Tony, Bruce, Peggy, Ethan and Katya set off to find Clint, as these adults were the only ones who knew the base and Ethan and Katya were Clint's kids. Steve went to the gym, expecting to find Clint beating the hell out of a punching bag. He wasn't. Bruce checked in all the labs, because that was the area he knew best. He wasn't there but Bruce didn't expect him to be. Peggy took Katya down to where all the briefing rooms were, he wasn't there. Tony took Ethan and after thirty seconds of methodological searching, he gave up and ran around the hallways shouting, "Legolas! She's awake!" Ethan skulked behind, embarrassed. The others regrouped and Steve remembered something.

"Guys this is Clint," He said, "Won't he be up in the vents?"

"Probably, actually," Bruce replied, "We could get a map from Fury but none of us can fit in them." The three adults turned to look at Katya.

"Fine, I'll go in the vents. Just get me a map. And a torch." She was a tiny bit claustoophobic but it didn't matter. She was going to save her dad.

After a little arguing, Fury gave them a map of the vents and Katya got a leg up from Steve. "Bye guys. I hope I come back." She set off. She scampered around the vents and was soon in the medic part of the base.

"Ow, Kat. What are you doing up here?" Clint asked.

"Finding you. Mum's awake!" She told him, expecting him to question her. Which he didn't.

"Come on then Kat!" He scrambled down a bit until they came to a vent which led in to the room. "Natasha Barton never do that to me again, ever!"

"What, no hug?" Clint went over and gave her a kiss and a hug.

"Tash, I thought you were going to die. You were going to die." He sobbed in to her shoulder. His voice didn't crack but the tears fell.

"Everyone is going to die, one day. Why were you in the vents?" Natasha said. She appeared to have completely recovered.

"I was... I thought... I didn't want anyone to find me." Clint tried to make up excuses but all he had really wanted was to be alone while Natasha died.

"Well that worked. Clint will you do something for me?" Natasha asked, surprisingly cheery.

"Anything Tash. Only if you stay alive."

"I will. Get me out of this bloody hospital before I die."

"Tash. You were shot, had CPR, a blood transfusion and a load of stitches. Out for five days. Five Tash. If you ever do that to me again... You need to stay."

"I don't care. This is S.H.I.E.L.D. I can't stay here. Fury will come, try to re-recruit the Black Widow and Hawkeye, try to get Ethan and Katya into the Avengers kids or whatever it will be called."

"It's Revengers. I've already done one mission. With Ethan and Katya. They have codenames and everything." Natasha shook her head. She could convince Fury to let them go, leave them alone.

"There's nothing I can do, is there?" Clint shook his head. "Get me out of here, Clint."

Clint and Katya walked out of the room and met with the others. They all went in and saw Natasha, then all of them went back to the Tower. Natasha was lonely in hospital but Clint had her on face time so she could join in with the craziness of the Tower. Fury came to visit her a few times, showed her the Avengers' goodbye speeches, Fury's daughter, Maria with her daughter. Clint, Ethan and Katya came to visit every day, sometimes with one or two others. Two weeks later, she was let out.


	24. Files

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Twenty Four- Files

S.H.I.E.L.D. BASE NEW YORK

Stephanie Fury sat, reading and updating the Revengers files again. Also updating the ones for herself and Fern. The Avengers had got back almost a month ago and as far as she was concerned, the Avengers were back together, minus Natasha and Clint, because Natasha had left hospital and the others didn't seem to know. They had trusted the other Avengers to look after their kids so there had to be something. They had all told their kids though Ella Joe, Lilly and Lewis already knew, Alice had figured it out whilst they were captured, Katya had been forced to be told, so it was just Blaze and Ethan really that needed to be told. Steph smiled as she updated these files. Half a year ago, she was sure that the Avengers were never getting back together again, these children would never meet and never know the superheroes their parents once were. Soon though, the Avengers were going back to their homes, would they keep in touch? Clint and Natasha would probably keep in touch with Tony, Bruce's kids were also staying at their houses for another few days. If the world heard that the Avengers were back in business, even if it was only that once, all of them would be instantly popular once they got back to school. Stephanie looked at her finished work. It was meant to be a punishment, the paper work, but it had been fun.

Name: Lewis Bruce Banner  
Superhero name: Hulk Junior  
Age: 15  
Date Of Birth: 19-06  
Family: Son of Bruce Banner and Elizabeth 'Betty' Banner. Twin of Lilly Banner.  
Skills/Knowledge: Lewis can 'hulk out' but only when he wants to. He doesn't need to be angry. Lewis takes interest in science.  
Status: Alive in New York.  
Other Information: Knows about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Knows about the Hulk. Part of the Revengers.

Name: Lilly Elizabeth Banner,  
Superhero name: Ivy  
Age: 15  
Date Of Birth: 19-06  
Family: Bruce Banner and Elizabeth 'Betty' Banner. Twin of Lewis Banner.  
Skills/Knowledge: Lilly can not 'hulk out' but has super human strength when she's angry. Her eyes and veins on her face also glow a bright green. Lilly is very interested in science, particularly chemistry, she is always trying out new formulae etc.  
Status: Alive in New York.  
Other Information: Knows about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Knows about the Hulk. Part of the Revengers

Name: Yekaterina 'Katya' Alianovna Barton  
Superhero name: Amber Arrow  
Age: 12  
Date Of Birth: 17-12  
Family: Daughter of Clint Barton and Natasha Barton. Younger sister to Ethan Barton.  
Skills/Knowledge: 'Katya' is good with a bow. She can run and is excellent at gymnastics. Has been taught many languages by her mother.  
Status: Alive in New York.  
Other Information: Knows about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Part of the Revengers. Appears to have retained her mother's ability for excellent interrogations.

Name: Ethan Barney Barton  
Superhero name: Blue Bullet  
Age: 15  
Date Of Birth: 28-02  
Family: Daughter of Clint Barton and Natasha Barton. Older brother to Yekaterina 'Katya' Barton.  
Skills/Knowledge: Ethan can fire guns. Good at running and hand to hand combat. Has been taught many languages by his mother.  
Status: Alive in New York.  
Other Information: Knows about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Part of the Revengers. Has mother's sarcasm.

Name: Blaze Eric Odinson

Age: 11

Date Of Birth: 27-03  
Family: Son of Jane and Thor Odinson  
Skills/Knowledge: Blaze can call fire from his magical sword, which has the same abilities as his fathers hammer just fire instead of lightning. Takes a little interest in his mother's work in astrophysics.  
Status: Alive in New York.  
Other Information: Knows about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Part of the Revengers. Knows about Asgard.

Name: Alice Margret Rogers  
Superhero name: Lady America  
Age: 10  
Date Of Birth: 10-05  
Family: Daughter of Steve Rogers and Margaret 'Peggy' Carter III.  
Skills/Knowledge: Alice has retained some of the super solider serum enabling her to have super strength, super speed, super reflexes, etc.  
Status: Alive in New York.  
Other Information: Knows about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Will be part of the Revengers Has her mother's kindness and caring.

Name: Ella Maria Stark  
Superhero name: Iron Girl  
Age: 15  
Date Of Birth: 30-04  
Family: Daughter of Virginia 'Pepper' Stark and Anthony 'Tony' Stark. Older sister to Joseph 'Joe' Stark.  
Skills/Knowledge: Good at maths and physics.  
Status: Alive in New York.  
Other Information: Knows about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Part of the Revengers. Has father's cocky attitude and likeliness to be late.

Name: Joseph 'Joe' Anthony Stark  
Superhero name: Iron Boy  
Age: 13  
Date Of Birth: 02-09  
Family: Daughter of Virginia 'Pepper' Stark and Anthony 'Tony' Stark. Younger brother to Ella Stark.  
Skills/Knowledge: Good at maths and engineering. Fast runner.  
Status: Alive in New York.  
Other Information: Knows about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Part of the Revengers. Has mother's modesty and likeliness to be early.

Name: Fern Olivia Coulson,  
Agent name: Agent Coulson Junior/ Agent HC  
Age: 13  
Date Of Birth: 06-01  
Family: Daughter of Maria and Phillip 'Phil' Coulson.  
Skills/Knowledge: Fern is well trained in hand to hand combat. Above average in military and field tactics.  
Status: Alive in New York.  
Other Information: Knows about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Dependable and loyal. Lives at S.H.I.E.L.D. with her parents.

Name: Stephanie 'Steph' Helen Fury  
Agent name: Director's daughter/ DFJ (Director Fury Junior)  
Age: 13  
Date Of Birth: 20-03  
Familiy: Biological daughter of Helen and Samuel Thomas. Adoptive daughter of Nicolas Fury.  
Skills/Knowledge: Stephanie is well trained in hand to hand combat. Good technician, Tactician and a computer specialist.  
Status: Alive in New York.  
Other Information: Knows about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Helped form the Revengers. Lives at S.H.I.E.L.D. with her father

"You alright, dad?" Stephanie looked up. "Don't say yes, something is bothering you. Is it about the Avengers?"

"Yes. What if after all this time they do want to get back together?" Fury replied.

"What do you mean? Wasn't it one of your lifelong ambitions to get the Avengers back together?" She had heard him say it so many times, it wasn't really a question.

"Yes but they've all changed."

"Change is sometimes good."

"Don't forget the sometimes. Anyway have you finished yet?"

"Yes," She handed over the files, "Dad, do you think they will want to get back together? I mean, they mainly live in different countries or states. They're not all going to want to move. What if-"

"Director Fury we need you to come in right now." Fury's radio said.

"Why Agent Coulson?" He asked, knowing the Agent by voice.

"A man with long black hair, golden horns and a sceptre has taken the misbehaving tesseract. I seem to remember the situation from what? Eighteen years ago?" Fury's eyes widened. This tesseract and Loki were going to be the death of him.

"I'm coming, Agent, just let me get the Avengers."


	25. That Stupid Tesseract

**A/N Right, four things.**  
**1. After this chapter there is only two more left.**  
**2. There will be a sequel.**  
**3. Thank you for reading, reviewing, following and favorite-ing**  
**4. I know I stole the battle from the film. It's hard to write big battles. Please, please don't kill me. You'll see why.**

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Twenty Five- That Stupid Tesseract

AVENGERS TOWER

"I must go, the Allfather is summoning me." Thor said standing up.

"Bye, Thor." Everyone chorused. They were lazing around, many of them thinking how nice it was to have a break from school, a few parents thinking about going back. Thor wondered what his father wanted with him, he never called unless there was an urgent threat.

"Be back soon." Jane added. Thor stepped outside and with a clap of thunder and a streak of lightning he was gone. At the same time Director Fury came out of the lift.

"Av and Revengers suit up now. The tesseract has been taken by Loki again." He said, staring at each of them intimidatingly with a single eye.

"Seriously, pirate? You are joking right." Tony didn't believe him. In fact, none of them did.

"No, Stark. He's going to try to take over New York again, we believe. Where's Barton and Romanoff?" He needed everyone on this job. Last time it had been bad enough and they had been practicing (It that was the right word) being superheroes daily back then. Now they knew how each of the others worked but had they forgotten?

"Here Director and its Barton and Barton." Natasha said, looking down as to avoid his eye, having slipped in to the room a moment earlier.

"When did spidey get let out?" Tony hissed to no one. None of them knew, except Ethan and Katya, that Natasha had gotten out, herself and Clint preferring to hide away as to not be recruited again.

"Two weeks ago. You lot are really unobservant." Natasha hissed back.

"Well, 'Barton and Barton', then. Barton #2 I have a surprise for you." Phil Coulson walked out of the elevator. Her mouth dropped open in literal shock.

"No, Phil, you are dead. Loki killed you. Eighteen years ago. Ha ha Fury joke not funny." Natasha was stunned. Nothing can reawaken the dead.

"Natasha, I'm real. I never died. Loki stabbed me and S.H.I.E.L.D. made me better. It took two years and then they were going to tell you. I was going to be there when you came back from that mission." Phil said. Over the years, he had grown tired of seeing it over and over to the newest level sevens.

"No. Please. You can't be alive. Did you know about this, Clint?" Quickly she turned to look at Clint. The guilt on his face was so obvious that she didn't even stop to hear his answer.

"No comment." Clint whispered but Natasha hardly heard him.

"I am, Natasha. You have already met my daughter." The Avengers all turned to look at Phil as he said to Fury, "Maria didn't tell any of them, did she?"

_"Fern?!"_

"Yes. Back to the point. I am alive." Phil had married Maria? That was kind of sweet. Natasha thought. If she wasn't still do shocked about the whole alive thing, she would have been happy for him.

"Yes you might be. But Phil, please don't suck us back in to S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers. My life's too mucked up already." Natasha said.

"Natasha. Loki has the tesseract." Phil said, deadly serious. Now Natasha no longer looked like an idiot as everyone's jaws dropped.

"Clint, are you okay?" Natasha was worried. Last time Loki had the tesseract, she had to knock Clint out because he had sources of magic in his head.

"Tash, I'm fine, but sir, how did Loki get here to get the tesseract? I thought he was locked up in Asgard." Clint asked, looking to see if Thor was back, which he wasn't. He was the one who carted the idiot off anyway. A loud crash on the roof brought everyone's attention to the ceiling.

"He was. I join you, my friends, he needs to be defeated once again. This time he comes with an army of Chitari, once more, and MUST be defeated. We can not kill him though he is a god. He can not die." Thor was back, surprising quickly. According to Jane, Odin often... droned on, shall we say?

"Okay Thor, That was quick. What do we need to do director?" Steve asked, plan forming in his head already, as it had not done in some years.

"I think Pepper, Jane and Betty you better come with me for safety. Agent Carter, Black Widow are you ok to fight?" Fury asked, seeming to actually care about them.

"Yeah." Natasha replied, retreating to Clint's side and slipping her hand in to his.

"Yep. But Alice can't. No, baby, you can't come to fight." Peggy said, turning to face her daughter who was still only ten.

"But mum please? Everyone else is." Alice whined, not wanting to miss all the fun. She has made some great friends and didn't want them going on an adventure without her.

"Because they have trained." Peggy replied firmly. There was no way she was going to put Alice in danger, not that day.

"I have too. I can use a gun." Alice insisted. She had learnt how to do that in the short month she had been at the Tower.

"No, Alice. You have not trained compared to these people." Steve said, shaking his head in disbelief. Alice to think she was ready? That was like seeing Natasha without a gun or Clint without a bow.

"But-" She began.

"No buts. Al, you mean too much, we can not let you die. Director Alice is coming with you as well." Steve informed him.

"Sure. The rest of you are fighting. Here are some comms." Grabbing a box and handing it to Stark, he said.

"Give us a little more heads up if a missile is coming ok? I was sort if unprepared last time." Tony smirked, looking proud while everyone else groaned except Fury, who seemed not to hear it.

"Will do. Avengers, Revengers, I'm trusting you on this. Do not let me down." He then let them say bye to their families.

Pepper said to Tony, "Do not die and of one of them missiles comes, don't let Ella or Joe take it."

"Won't Pepper. Answer your phone this time though."

"I will. And you had better call. Love you."

"Love you, Pep."

Jane said to Thor, "I know you can't die but do be careful and look after Blaze."

"I love you, Lady Jane."

"I love you too, Thor."

Betty said to Bruce, "Be careful. The Hulk may be invincible but Lilly isn't. Come back to me, I love you."

"I love you too."

Peggy said to Alice, "Baby, watch the news if you must because it will tell you that we are ok. We will be ok. Let Pepper, Betty and Jane look after you. I love you."

"I love you too and I promise that we will both be ok." Steve said.

"I do too just come back, please come back." She was genuinely worried.

"We will." They said together.

"Come on girls." Director Fury said and four girls and two men entered the lift.

"So, Star Spangled man with-" Tony Stark began.

"Shut up, Stark." Clint said. He knew the look on Steve's face. It was the look of worry. He himself had worn it many times. Too many.

"Darling, it will be ok." Peggy said

"Betty will look after her." Bruce piped up.

"What if we die, Peggy? How can I break a promise to our little girl? What if we all die? I might have just seen her for the last time. Peggy-" Steve began, seeming to break down.

"Steve. Don't do this to yourself. Alice will be fine. We will be fine. We will go back to London, everything will be normal. We can train her and if this ever happens again, which it hopefully won't, she will be here." Peggy told him. He couldn't let himself get down, it would fail him, fail the team.

"Fine. I'll be fine." He didn't seem sure of himself but he stood up anyway.

"So Star Spangled man with a-" Tony began once more.

"Stark, shut it. And you and Bruce go locate it, make sure it is actually here." His game face was on now. Nothing was going to hurt his family. Not even the extended one.

"Will do. Come on Angry pants, That's a new one." Tony remarked and walked into the lift with Bruce who looked almost green in the hulk type way.

"The rest of us, get suited up. Minus you Lewis." Captain America pulled on his star spangled spandex suit. Agent Carter pulled on her S.H.I.E.L.D. issued catsuit. Hawkeye his black number. Black Widow her black catsuit. Blue Bullet a new navy and electric blue uniform, similar to Clint's. Amber Arrow a Black catsuit almost identical to the Black Widow one except for the Patten of amber arrows on the back. Thor waved his Mojnir over both himself and Blaze and their Asgardian armour appeared. Iron Boy and Iron Girl dug their hands in to their suits and watched as the suits appeared on them. Iron Boy admired the Black and Blue of his and Iron Girl admired the Pink and Black of hers. Ivy (As Lilly had been named) pulled on a simple green catsuit.

"All suited up? Let's go see where Iron Ass is up too." They all followed Captain America down to the Lab. He knocked.

"We found it." Bruce said, "And right now I would not advise you to go out of this tower. You know last time he pushed him out a window and his suit barely got on in time." The kids' eyes widened. None of them knew the specifics of eighteen years before, having only found out recently.

"Iron Boy and Iron Girl go up and find the floor that they are on. Tell us and hover outside few floors down. Do not draw any attention to yourselves." Steve told Ella and Joe. They nodded and went to follow his orders.

"Yes, Captain." They said as they jumped out of the window.

MEANWHILE ON FLOOR EIGHTY-NINE

"What have I to fear?" Loki asked, smiling. He was going to win this time, he knew it, just not in the way they thought he was.

"The Revengers and the Avengers. It's what we call ourselves, what Fury called our kids. Sort of like the team that defeated you eighteen years ago but better. "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" type thing, again." Stark replied. In the last eighteen years he had forgotten how many times he had said something like this in a nightmare.

"I've met the Avengers, Revengers sound interesting though." This conversation was so similar to the one that they had eighteen years ago.

"Yeah. Took us a while to get us back together, I'll give you that one but, let's do a head count here: Your brother, the demigod; Your nephew, the half Demi-God, does that make him a quarter God?; A super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; A man with breath-taking anger management issues; His son, who can transform in to the same guy; six master assassins," Tony counted, Natasha, Clint, Ethan, Katya, Peggy and Lilly. Six. "and you, reindeer games, you've managed to get every single one of them involved." Tony couldn't believe that he had said the Avengers were back together.

"That was the plan." Now Loki was being strange. He wanted to fight fourteen people?

"Not a great plan. They are all downstairs and when they come, and they will, they'll come for you." He hoped that they were ready.

"I have an army. They are coming as well. They are coming for all of you."

"We have two Hulks."

"I thought at least one of them had not changed for five years. Not a record you want to break."

"They both changed less than a month ago, get your facts straight, but you're missing the point. There's no throne. There is no version of this where you come out on top. This is revenge. You have been planning this for eighteen years so its probably not going to fail as badly as last time. Maybe your stupid Chitauri come, and maybe it's too much for us, which it will not be, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damned well sure we'll avenge it. You are trying for revenge, Rudolph, for what happend eighteen years ago. We don't need revenge. We have Revengers." At this point Loki pushed Tony out of the window but Ella caught him. Joe, Ella and Tony all flew up to the window with suits on.

"And there's a few more people you got involved,"Joe said, "Iron Boy."

"Iron Girl." Ella said.

"And Iron Man. Phil's back by the way." The three shot lasers at him but he deflected them and the portal opened.

"Oh, right army. GUYS! SU-"

"Stark your in our ears. It's loud enough." Natasha growled. Her ears hurt.

"Ok, the Chitauri are here." Tony said urgently.

"Cap, what's the plan?" Clint asked.

"Irons take to the sky, Man, take out as many as possible at the portal, Boy, take the left side, Girl, the right. Arrow, Hawkeye you need to be up high. Thor, up high electrifying the things, Blaze, burning them. Bullet, Ivy, Carter, Widow, stay on the ground and take the things out, I'll join you once the police are sorted out. Hulks? Smash. Guys? Go!" Joe gave Katya a lift up to a rooftop on the left side, just in case. Thor took Clint up and he ran on the right. The four on the ground spread out a little but not too much and began taking out Chitauri. The Hulks smashed.

"There are people in those buildings. Get them out and off the streets." Captain America told a cop.

"Why should I listen to you?" He replied. The Captain took out three of them and said,

"I have a feeling I said this before. Because of that." The cop ran off shouting the Captain's orders in to his radio. The battle continued in the same way as it did in New York eighteen years ago however the battles were more intense, the Chitauri better than before and the Avengers having back up but the humans had ties they didn't have before. For example, if Katya died, Ethan, Natasha and Clint would stop and make their way over, probably getting shot, therefore Ella would go and see if Ethan was ok, getting shot at herself, then Joe and Tony coming over, getting shot by which time seven are dead leaving seven alive. In actual fact killing Katya would be a very good thing to do from the Chitauri's perspective.

"Iron Man, Missile at three o'clock blowing in two minutes" Fury shouted in to the comm, "Pepper says to take it and come back alive." Iron Man was in an intense battle with at least twenty of them. However, the message went to all the comms.

"DOES ANYBODY COPY?!" Ella shouted, forgetting that she was in everyone's ears. There was no answers. The others were alive, all in intense battles which made it hard to hear, even a shouted statement right into their ears. "Don't worry, dad, I've got your back." Ella muttered as she grabbed the missile coming in ninety degrees to her right.

"Shall I call Mrs Stark?" J.A.R.V.I.S. asked.

"No," She replied, she would break down if she heard her voice and wouldn't be able to go any further. "Just tell her I love her."

"Done, Miss. Anything else?" J.A.R.V.I.S. asked again.

"Tell Dad and Joe I love them." She was at the portal opening now and tearing up. Incoming call from Mum flashed in front of her eyes. Her father and brother's voices tried to persuade her to not do it. They were fighting and not making much sense. But she was inside the opening now.

"NO ELLA NO! COME BACK! Please Ells, I love you." That was Ethan. She heard that last from her comm as the suit began to shut down.

S.H.I.E.L.D HELICARRIER

"NO!" Pepper shouted. Each of them had their own screens, following their family. Alice was the first one over to her and arrived just in time to see Ella disappear.

"Ella you idiot." She whispered. Pepper held her head in her hands.

"My little girl..." She whispered. By then the others had come over.

"I'm so sorry, Pepper." Betty said.

"Wait what's that coming from the sky?" Jane asked.

NEW YORK

Ethan caught her, using his last bullet as a grappling hook (tech these days is incredible) and swinging to the ground. The Hulk Junior came over and said, "Metal girl ok?" Ethan nodded and told him that she was unconscious. "This works." Then he roared. Once Ella's eyelids began to open he stopped.

"Ella, please be ok. I love you too much to let you die. Please just tell me that you're ok." Ethan asked, begging.

"I love you too. Do you want the truth or what you want to hear?" Ella replied, blinking.

"You're alive. The truth, I suppose?"

"I'm ok," Ella smiled, "What happened, did we win?" Ethan looked around to see that the Chitauri were still fighting but the massive dragon ones shut down. No more came through the portal.

"Guys take this lot out, there is not too many, then we will get Loki. Bullet, Girl start making your way to the Tower. HJ, we need you." The Captain said. Hulk Junior bounded off.

"El, are you ok?" Joe asked.

"Yeah, give me a few minutes though." The rest were easy to take out, even without Iron Girl and Blue Bullet, blowing up the mothership had weakened them. Soon they had taken them all out and were back on floor eighty-nine all pointing something at Loki. Hawkeye and Amber Arrow, arrows; The Black Widow, Blue Bullet, Agent Carter and SOMETHING guns; Iron Boy, Man and Girl had lasers at the ready; The Hulk and Hulk Junior their fists; Captain America, his shield; Thor, his Mojnir and Blaze his sword.

"Loki. How did you get out, brother?" Thor asked he was curious because Loki had been stripped of his powers and there was the effect of magic in his cell.

"Me, of course, Uncle Thor. I helped my father escape and now we are going to take over the nine realms together, starting with Midgard." A girl said, appearing to appear out of thin air. She looked about twenty-five but Loki had been around thousands of years, she looked just like him so was probably his daughter. Clint immediately shot her.

"ARCHER, HOW DARE YOU IMPALE MY DAUGHTER?! YOU HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT HER DEATH!" Loki screamed. One look at his daughter and you knew she was dead. "You took my daughter, I will now take yours." He grabbed Katya by the elbow and his daughter's hand, and together the three of them disappeared. Natasha fell to her knees and screamed. Loki had taken her baby girl.

"My baby girl, my baby girl," She whispered over and over again.

"Tash, we will get her back. I promise." Clint said then started to cry. The others all stared at him. It was very rare to see assassins cry, especially if that assassin was Clint or Natasha. "This is all my fault." He whispered. Natasha looked at him and put a brave face on but tears still pooled in the corners of her eyes.

"NO!" Ethan shouted, reality finally setting in, "You can't take Kat!"

"No Clint," Natasha said, "None of this is your fault. He would have taken her anyway. Ethan com'ere." Natasha tried her hardest not to break down completely. She pulled Ethan in to a hug as the lift doors opened.

"Is everyone ok?" Fury barked, exiting the lift with Phil, Steph, Pepper, Jane, Betty and Alice. Alice ran to her parents and hugged them both. Her father picked her up muttering something about never letting her go again but he was focused on something else.

Betty walked over to Lilly and Lewis as Bruce had not calmed down enough yet, he was too angry about Katya. Betty hugged both of them and smiled. They were battle-worn but ok.

Jane took a step to the left where Thor and Blaze stood. Thor was rigid and still staring at the place where Loki had disappeared. She kissed Blaze's forehead and asked Thor, "Thor, what's wrong?" He did not reply.

Pepper walked over to Tony and asked, "Why did you let Ella take it? I specifically told you not to let her! I thought she was going to die!"

"Peps." He sighed his mind elsewhere. Ella and Joe were too busy staring at where they disappeared to say hello.

Phil was about to walk over to Clint and Natasha when he saw that both Clint and Natasha were crying. That rarely ever happened. He also saw Ethan trying not to cry but no Katya.

"Where's Katya?" Phil asked to everyone, noticing that Steve, Thor, Tony, Ella, Joe, Blaze, Peggy, Lilly and Lewis were all staring at the same spot.

"Loki took her." Natasha whispered before bursting into tears.


	26. No, That Can't Be True

Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Twenty Six- No, that can't be true

AVENGERS TOWER

"No..." Phil whispered, "That can't be true."

"Are you sure?" Jane asked. She knew Loki was evil, just didn't think that he was this evil.

"Natasha, Clint, Ethan, I'm sorry." Pepper told them. Natasha looked at everyone, tears still falling, and saw they were all trying to offer their condolences. She turned and fled, Clint quickly followed her.

"I wouldn't advise you to come anywhere near them any time soon." Ethan advised. They broke up in to pairs; Pepper and Tony; Peggy and Steve; Blaze, Thor and Jane; A calm Bruce and Betty; Ethan and Ella; Lilly and Lewis; Alice and Joe.

"He really took her didn't he?" Alice asked, her little face sad, "I-I don't know what to think. She must be alive, because she's Katya, she must."

"I don't know Alice," Joe replied facing the facts, "I want her to be alive but I have no idea why he would let her live."

* * *

"I don't want to think about it," Lilly told Lewis, stretching to the side uncomfortably in her green cat suit, "I can't believe that he just took an innocent little girl like that."

"Lils, he must be purely evil. But I'm also glad, for mum and dad, that it wasn't you." Lewis told her. And for that, he was truly thankful. His sister and him didn't always see eye to eye, but he had no idea what he would do without her, how he would cope.

* * *

"Ells, he j-just took her. What am I s-supposed to do? My parents will never be the same again, I won't ever be the same again. She's my little sister, she's just an innocent little girl. Why couldn't he have taken me instead?" Ethan whispered to Ella, pools forming in his eyes. Despite all his teasing and complaining, she was one of the only people he felt truly comfortable with and knew just the right time to let her be, she knew the right time to let him be alone.

"Ethan, don't do this to yourself. There was nothing you could do. She's your little sister so yes, you are going to be cut up about her being kidnapped but I'll help you, I promise to help you through this." Ella always kept her promises no matter what. But this, she wasn't too sure on. Could she really make sure Ethan was ok? If it was Joe, no amount of time would ever fill the gap in her life that he had left. When Tony was locked in his lab and Pepper was on some kind of Stark Industries conference, they were always there for one another, no matter what.

* * *

"Betty, Clint and Natasha are two of the nicest people I have ever met, Natasha hardly knew me when she saw the other guy and he almost killed her and, yes it took a while but she trusted me to. Clint was willing to sacrifice anything for Natasha and now his kids too. I hate Loki, but in one sense he brought us together in the first place, and this is what's going to tear us apart again." Bruce ranted. He was dangerously close to hulking out uncontrollably again, something that had no happened in a very long time.

"Don't get too angry. But I agree with you. She was just an innocent little girl." Betty agreed. Not knowing any of the Bartons that well, all she could tell was that an innocent girl had been taken from a loving mother, caring father and a kind older brother.

"Don't say was."

* * *

"Mum, it was awful. I can't believe that he just took her. Dad is he really your brother? Because I hate him." Blaze asked, disbelieving that anyone in his family could do such an atrocious thing.

"He is my brother, but he has been imprisoned and he is adopted." Thor relied, feeling guilty for what his brother had done. He knew that Clint was just an expert marksman, devoted to his family and saving the world. Natasha was an excellent super spy, now an excellent mother.

"I feel so bad for Clint and Natasha. I'm sorry you had to see that Blaze." Jane was dying for Clint and Natasha inside. She knew what it was like to have children, though couldn't imagine the pain to have them taken from you.

* * *

"Steve, do you think that she will ever come back?" Peggy didn't know Natasha very well but, being a mother herself, she didn't wish it upon anyone to lose their daughter. Especially at the hand of a man who had tried to destroy the world.

"I don't know. Peggy, I am just so glad Alice didn't stay. She would be gone it she had." Steve was truly thankful. Katya was taken because she was the youngest, most vulnerable _and_ Clint, her father, had just shot Loki's daughter. He had been dangerously close to throwing his shield and if Alice had been there, the rim would have hit at the same time as the arrow.

* * *

"Pepper. I love you. I love our children and I can't think what's going to happen to them because of this. Joe was close with her, Ella is close with her brother who is surely going to be affected. I can't let us deteriorate because of what happened." For once in his life, Tony was truly worried. He liked to see his children happy, without a care in the world and knew that no mater what he did after today, they were surely going to be affected. He hoped that Ella didn't get panic attacks from going in to the wormhole because there would be no way that he would be able to cope with that.

"Tony, I love you too and I agree with you. We have to help Joe get better but we also have to let Ella help Ethan get over it." Pepper knew that Tony would try to keep Ella away from Ethan, because of him not getting on with Clint and Natasha. It was his daughter, so of course he got a say but anyone could plainly see from their month in the Tower how good Ethan was for Ella, and Ella was for Ethan. Though Pepper knew that Tony often didn't see what was in front of his very eyes.

"Pepper, Clint and Natasha. What are we going to do?" Tony said. He genuinely felt sorry for them, something he never thought would be possible. They were always so cool and never seemed to have any problems worth feeling pity for.

"Leave them alone?" Pepper asked. Two angry, shocked, sad assassins? Who wouldn't want to leave them alone.

"Pepper, we have to find her."

"Then find her. You are Iron Man."

MEANWHILE ON BLACKHAWK FLOOR

Natasha crawled under the sheets tears pouring out of her eyes. Loki had taken her baby. Before he had taken her Clint. Who was there left? Ethan. Clint crawled in beside her and hugged her. Just as much salt water was coming out of his eyes.

"S-she has gone, hasn't she C-Clint? Loki will either k-kill her o-or.." Natasha let her emotions take over something which never happened. She was used to keeping her emotions inside, never showing tears this heavy. It was so rare that Clint didn't really know what to do.

"I'm s-so s-sorry, Tasha. This is entirely my f-fault. But m-my guess is that if he was going to k-kill her, he would have d-done it in-in front of us." Clint replied, his emotions mirroring hers, so rare Natasha would have had no idea what to do if she could see through her tears.

"Clint, we have to be there. For Ethan. His little sister was just k-kidapped and his parents are..." Natasha said a few minutes later. She searched for a word but it never seemed to come. A way in which she would search for Katya and never find her.

"Don't worry, Tash. Pepper will look after him. I suggest we get some sleep and try to keep each other from having nightmares." After Avengers battle they would keep each others nightmares away, sharing the burden. This one, together, they didn't know if they would be strong enough to bear.

"Clint, will you protect me?" He question was deep, deeper than a normal person questioning these words would ever be.

"You know I will, Tasha, I always will." The two of them fell in to a dreamless sleep even though they were both expecting nightmares. The worse possible nightmares imaginable.

"Mum? Daddy?" Ethan asked, climbing in to the bed with the two assassins, something he hadn't done for years. Only Natasha was awake though

"Yes, Ethan?" Natasha replied making room for Ethan between herself and Clint, a protection bubble where no one could hurt him.

"I'm scared."

"I am too, but it's ok to be scared once in a while, healthy even."

"Will you protect me?"

"Only when you need it Blue Bullet. Just go to sleep now, like daddy is, and you will be ok. I will keep the nightmares away." Ethan went out like a light after that and Natasha soon followed. Clint woke up five minutes after Natasha was pulled to her slumber. When he woke, Clint noticed three things. One, Ethan was here. Two, He had been asleep for six hours and no nightmares had come. Three, he was starving. When his toast had been made, Clint went back to the bedroom, eating. Natasha was now awake and stroking Ethan's hair.

"I want to go back to where we were in LA," She whispered, "He had friends there and no matter how much I don't get on with her father, I know she will help him though this." Clint knew straight away who she was referring to. There was no doubt that they were good for each other. Almost as good as Pepper was for Tony.

"I was thinking along the same lines. J.A.R.V.I.S. which of the Avengers are currently in the tower?" Natasha was slightly surprised by his comment, though knew that Clint was willing to do whatever was best, for all of them.

"Mr Rogers and his family are getting ready to leave, as are Mr Banner's and Mr Odinson's but Mr Stark claims he is staying you and Mrs Barton are ready to leave." The British voice said. To start with, straight after they had moved out, Natasha and Clint both found themselves, and caught each other, asking the AI to do things for them, then being disappointed when it was not done.

"Clint, once Ethan wakes up, do you think we should say goodbye?"

"Definitely Tash. You have a shower and I'll stay here for a bit."

Half an hour later the remaining Bartons were washed dressed and presentable to say goodbye to Thor, Blaze, Jane, Steve, Peggy, Alice, Bruce, Betty, Lilly and Lewis. Thor was taking Blaze and Jane to Asgard, Steve, Peggy and Alice were going back to London and Bruce, Betty, Lilly and Lewis were going back to Mexico. Three hours later, Clint, Natasha, Ethan, Tony, Pepper, Ella and Joe left on a private jet back to LA.

S.H.I.E.L.D. BASE NEW YORK

Stephanie and Fern sighed. Steph had filled Fern in about what happened and even though she didn't know her too well, she was in buckets. "I-Its j-just dad told me that s-she was s-supposed to be my c-cousin." Fern supplied. Stephanie frowned as she added something new to Katya's file.

Name: Barton, Yekaterina 'Katya'  
Superhero name: Amber Arrow  
Age: 12  
Date Of Birth: 17-03  
Family: Daughter of Clint Barton and Natasha Barton. Younger sister to Ethan Barton.  
Skills/Knowledge: 'Katya' **was **good with a bow. She **could** run and **was** excellent at gymnastics. **Had** been taught many languages by her mother.  
**Status: Presumed dead. Taken by Loki.  
**Other Information: **Knew** about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. **Was** part of the Revengers. **Appeared** to have retained her mother's ability for excellent interrogations.


End file.
